Many people suffer with the skin condition known as acne or Zits; treatments however, are slowly improving. Owing the widespread nature of this condition, scientific research into this area is intense; the result of this effort is new, more effective, treatments are becoming available. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories:

* Over-the-counter: Preventative

* Drugstore: Relief treatment

* Prescription only treatments

Probably the largest part of the skin care market is products designed to clean the skin and inhibit the formation of acne; for example, special toners and skin cleansers. Many people these days use products like this to maintain their skin; often this is irrespective of whether or not there is a problem condition. There are acne skin care products that are more specialized in there approach; they are formulated to reduce and limit the amount of oil in the pores of our skin. These types of products are reducing the chance of oil staying in the pores and aiding the growth of harmful bacteria which assists the formation of the skin condition.

General skin care treatments also include special exfoliation products like skin peels; these are easily obtainable in any drug store. They work by reducing oil plus other contaminants from the skin and in the pores; this can reduce harmful bacteria and stop their chance of growth. There are specialized acne skin care products available over-the-counter, they do not require the need of a prescription. These formulations contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid; these include creams, cleansers and peels that slow down acne formation.

It is often a good idea to start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5 percent) to see how the skin responds; a safer alternative to benzoyl peroxide is anything containing alpha hydroxy acid. Because we all have different types of skin, more than one type of acne skin care product may need to be tried; however, if finding an effective remedy it is proving to be a problem then consult with your doctor, or skin care specialist. If you do need to see your doctor or skin care specialist then he may give you a prescription for antibiotics or special ointments.

In some case your doctor may suggest the pustules are drained of harmful contents under local anesthetic; however, sufferers are warned never to attempt this as it could lead to serious skin problems. Another effective course of skin care treatment is hormone therapy; this type of skin care treatment has been very effective in many cases. Constant research has paid off, and whilst they cannot cure the condition, it is becoming easier to treat.

Peoples’ preoccupation with anti-ageing skin care products that claim to make you look younger is not surprising; there is nothing wrong with wanting to continue looking young as you get older, in fact it is quite a healthy aim. This group of beauty products generally works by enabling the synthesis of collagen, the main protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant in our body; approximately one quarter of the protein contained in skin is collagen. Collagen is related to other natural substances which help to slow down the ageing process; this group is called antioxidants and apart from their cell repairing ability, they may be able to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Probably the best known of these anti-oxidants is vitamin C although no-one really knows just how much we should have each day. The problem with vitamin C derived skin care treatments is they can become oxidized when exposed to the atmosphere, often even before they are used.

More stable skin care treatments are now available that are almost as efficient and actually cost less to manufacture. These alternative products are not as effective as vitamin C but vitamin E and lipoic acid are anti-oxidants and are now being used.

The body uses vitamin E as an antioxidant and to increase the natural defense we have against sickness; one particular disease it may help to prevent is certain types of cancer. Another of these is lipoic acid which is found in every cell of our body to help generate energy for us to live; it is also known to combat the signs of aging very effectively by repairing skin damage caused by the aging process.

The use of plants has not been overlooked either with many types able to provide essences called phytochemicals which have proved successful in anti-ageing skin care products. Like lipoic acid, phytochemicals help reduce the occurrence of cancers; for instance:

* Cancer that attacks the Prostate

* Cancer of the Breast

* Cancer of the Colon

These are all on the increase around the world.

It has also been discovered that there are anti-ageing benefits to vitamins B5, B6 and B12. Although the area of anti-ageing skin care products is huge, more is being learnt about the whole ageing process and about natural products that can reduce the effects it has on our bodies as well as our skin. A great deal about the aging process has already been learned and the products available today are already far more advanced than ten years ago; however, research is moving forward rapidly and it is only a matter of time before a new generation of products becomes available.

Hopefully, these challenges will get resolved in due course and better and cheaper anti-ageing skin care products will be produced. It may be time to learn that not every synthetic anti-aging product is going to work; it is doubtful if science can replace natural skin care remedies. You know all these things but how many do you practice? Regular exercise, restful sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet and keeping your stress levels low are all necessary.