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9 Acne Treatments Most Loved By Shoppers

Just when you thought your teenage skin woes were over, a pimple pops up on your face. Trust us, we’ve all been there. And it always seems to happen when we’re under a lot of pressure or stress and hoping to look our best.

Best acne treatments under $20

There are hundreds of acne treatments out there, with price tags ranging from a few bucks up to hundreds of dollars. And which are the best priced under $20? To answer that question, I scoured Amazon ratings and reviews to find the best cheap acne treatment according to the masses.

Close-up of woman's face with acne plus text overlay.
Source: Canva.

No. 1: Invisible pimple patch

Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch™ Invisible+ Patch – Daytime Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patches for Covering Zits and Blemishes, Ultra Thin Spot Stickers for Face and Skin (24 Medium and 15 Small Patches)
  • ☀️ The Invisible Daytime Acne…
  • 🔍 Virtually Undetectable: Clear,…
  • ⛑️ Medical Grade: Made with the…
  • 👀 Keeps Your Zit Under Wraps:…
  • ✌️ Twice The Sizes: Each box…

These things are pure genius — an invisible round patch that goes right over a blemish to deliver targeted treatment right where you need it. The patch protects the pimple from dirt and also camouflages it a bit.

Users say you can wear makeup right over the top of the patch, making it hardly noticeable. If that seems weird, then simply wear the patch at night to reduce the blemish while you sleep.

Runners up

SaleBestseller No. 1
Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment Gel with Benzoyl Peroxide – Gentle Face Acne Medicine for Acne Prone Skin, 0.75 oz
  • .75-ounce tube of Neutrogena…
  • Vanishing cream formula of this…
  • On-The-Spot treatment is clinically…
  • This gentle daily acne blemish…
  • The acne-fighting formula goes deep…
SaleBestseller No. 2
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Treatment Gel with Maximum Strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Medication, Pimple Cream for Acne Prone Skin Care, 1 oz
  • 1-ounce tube of Neutrogena Rapid…
  • This effective acne-fighting spot…
  • Its maximum strength formula…
  • From a dermatologist recommended…
  • Cleanse skin thoroughly before…
SaleBestseller No. 3
Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 Oil-Free Acne Spot Treatment with Maximum Strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, Topical Pimple Cream & Acne Gel Medication for Face Acne, Fragrance-Free, 1 fl. oz
  • 1-ounce tube of Clean & Clear…
  • Fragrance free acne spot treatment…
  • The benzoyl peroxide spot treatment…
  • This maximum strength acne…
  • Suitable for acne-prone or oily…
SaleBestseller No. 4
CeraVe Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment with Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid | AHA/BHA Acne Gel for Face to Control and Clear Breakouts |1.35 Ounce
  • [ACNE TREATMENT FOR FACE WITH…
  • [PORE MINIMIZER] Helps to minimize…
  • [ ALCOHOL FREE & HYDRATING GEL ]…
  • [ 3 ESSENTIAL CERAMIDES ] Ceramides…
  • [ DEVELOPED WITH DERMATOLOGISTS ]…
Bestseller No. 5
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch™ Original Patch – Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patch for Covering Zits and Blemishes, Spot Stickers for Face and Skin (36 Count)
  • 🏆 The Original Award-Winning…
  • ⏱️ Results in 6-8 Hours:…
  • 🛌 All-Night Adhesion: Strong…
  • ✨ Blends Seamlessly into Skin:…
  • 🕊️ Peace-Of-Mind Design: Our…
SaleBestseller No. 6
Differin Acne Treatment Gel, 30 Day Supply, Retinoid Treatment for Face with 0.1% Adapalene, Gentle Skin Care for Acne Prone Sensitive Skin, 15g Tube
  • Clears breakouts where they start…
  • Differin works differently than…
  • Adapalene was created for superior…
  • Water based formula, oil free,…
  • In a clinical study, Differin gel…
SaleBestseller No. 8
Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief – Benzoyl Peroxide Gel – Acne Spot Treatment for Face and Body, .33 Oz
  • EMERGENCY RELIEF: This invisible…
  • YOU NEED MORE THAN A PIMPLE CREAM:…
  • PERFECT FOR ON THE GO: Unexpected…
  • SAFE FOR ALL AGES: Proactiv’s acne…
  • MADE FOR YOUR SKIN: Proactiv…

Longer-term acne treatments

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Of course I understand the emergency of waking up with a pimple on the day you landed a first date with the hottie in the office. But there is more to acne management than swapping out your cleanser or spot treatment. You may find that lifestyle changes provide the most lasting acne therapy.

Ugh, I know how that sounds. “Lifestyle changes” sounds like I’m about to lecture you about eating salads all day and logging double-digit miles on the treadmill running. Not exactly. Depending on the cause of your acne, you may need only small tweaks to get it under control for the long haul.

Food allergies cause acne

Acne is the inflammation of a plugged hair follicle. Secretions form in the follicle, clogging it, and various forms of acne can occur afterward. Some studies have shown specifically that allergies to sugar and dairy can cause acne

Cystic acne—those large and irritated blemishes—in particular is associated with food allergies. You can try an elimination diet to see if your acne is related to an allergy.

Hormonal imbalances cause acne

Out of balance hormones can be related to many systemic health issues. If that is the cause for your acne, it’s likely your hormones are causing other issues in your body too. Hormonal acne often appears at the jawline and chin.

Hormones can get out of whack when your diet doesn’t provide balanced nutrition and when you are exposed to chemicals from your external environment.

This is why some women see an improvement in their acne after going on birth control—the hormones are balanced and the acne relents. A safer route though is to balance your hormones with a diet that provides nutrients and fatty acids. This is an easy, but solid read on how to balance hormones with diet and lifestyle changes.

Clearing your life of as many toxins as possible will help your hormones stay in balance. Too many products on the shelves contain fake estrogens—just look for word paraben in shampoo, conditioner, soap, laundry detergent, lotion. Or, BPA in plastics. Try switching out your bodycare products for paraben-free formulas and ditching plastic cups and water bottles.

The wrong skin creams cause acne

If you’ve struggled with acne for a long time, it’s likely you’ve tried many different products with varying results. The thing is, your skin is as unique as you are. You may do better with a gentle, all-natural product. Or your skin may prefer something harsher, like the Proactive line. If you’re tired of experimenting, talk to a dermatologist about your history and get a recommended treatment plan.

Supplements that may help acne

Fish Oils

Essential for almost every part of a healthy body (brain, heart, joints, blood), the fatty acids in fish oils balance hormones and reduce inflammation, making them front line in the treatment of acne.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a pre-hormone essential to hormone balance and a healthy immune system.

Probiotics

Probiotics work in your gut to fight inflammation and support a healthy immune system. They’re almost always necessary in rebalancing the body after neglect.

 Zinc

Zinc helps reduce scarring from past acne and it helps control the amount of oils produced by your skin glands.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex is essential for hormone balance among many other things, such as neurological functioning.

Vitex (chasteberry)

Some women swear by Vitex as a treatment for hormonal acne and PMS symptoms as well. Talk to your doctor before starting on Vitex.

Alternative acne treatments

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has long been a crucial part of alternative health care practitioners in hormone balance. To find a local service, consult this guide.

Herbalists

An herbalist can create a custom formula geared to treat acne.

Exercise

Regular exercise is the most basic and easily accessed of acne treatments. And, of course, there are other benefits too—a calmer mind, stronger heart and faster metabolism.

elaina

Wednesday 19th of March 2014

lol

elaina

Wednesday 19th of March 2014

i hate acne icky ewww

Snowglobe

Friday 7th of October 2011

Why are all of these products scented? Fragrance, menthol, mint and botanicals irritate the skin.

CherieJolai

Friday 7th of October 2011

Flawless skin is the Fall 2011 beauty trend. You can get that clear complexion through a mixed of the above said products and taking sometime for you. We always think that movie stars are pampered, but its because they take time to pamper themselves. I was inspired by this article:

http://www.typef.com/article/movie-star-clear-skin/

CaliRo

Thursday 20th of March 2008

*Clean & Clear Persa-gel works wonders, especially w/the “mosters”. (but use a very tiny amount or it will dry you up too much). *Clearasil Daily Face Wash for sensitive skin: takes off all my makeup at night without over-drying. *Aveeno Daily Face scrub makes my skin fresh and smooth every morning. *Neutrogena moisturizer for sensitive skin: the only drugstore moisturizer that doesn’t make me break out. *Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask: I only use this as a mask 1-3 times a week, depending on the state of my skin.  Helps clear those pesky breakouts. *Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash: my perfectly smooth back is a testament to this stuff working.

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