Look it up.
Plain answers about acne, with an honest note on how settled the science actually is.
Most looked up
New here? Start with these 4.
Every entry carries one of four labels: Well established · Still argued about · Thin evidence · Mostly marketing. Where a page has not been rated yet, we show nothing rather than guess.
2 Aug How Do You Reduce the Chance of Acne Scarring? The biggest levers are getting inflamed spots calmed down sooner rather than later, leaving them alone while they heal, protecting the skin… Updated
2 Aug Why Do Some Acne Ingredients Cancel Each Other Out? Some acne ingredients cancel each other out because they change the skin’s surface chemistry in opposite directions, break each other down before… Updated
2 Aug What Does “Non-Comedogenic” Actually Mean? “Non-comedogenic” means a product has been formulated with the intention of not blocking pores — usually by avoiding certain oils and waxes… Updated
2 Aug Are LED Masks and Light Therapy Worth Anything? LED masks and light therapy can help calm mild acne and redness for some people, mostly by reducing inflammation and possibly slowing… Updated
2 Aug Can Stress Genuinely Affect Skin? A Plain Answer Yes, stress can genuinely affect skin, and the link is not imaginary. Stress hormones can push oil glands to produce more sebum,…
Retinol or a prescription retinoid?
| Compared | Retinol | Prescription |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Milder | Stronger |
| How fast | 8–12 weeks | 6–10 weeks |
| Where you get it | Any shop | From a doctor |
AHA or BHA?
| Compared | AHA | BHA |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | On the surface | Inside the pore |
| Suits | Dull, rough skin | Blackheads, oil |
| Sun sensitivity | Higher | Lower |
A scar or a dark mark?
| Compared | Dark mark | Scar |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Pigment | Changed texture |
| Fades on its own | Usually, slowly | No |
| Who treats it | You can, at home | A doctor |
Acne Basics
12 articlesSkincare Routines
11 articlesIngredients Explained
11 articlesTreatments & Dermatology
13 articlesDiet & Lifestyle
5 articlesScarring & Marks
6 articlesTeen & Young Adult Skin
6 articlesHow we read the evidence
We start with reviews and trials rather than press releases, and we note how many people were studied and for how long. When two good studies disagree, we say so on the page instead of picking the friendlier one. Every article carries the date we last read it again.
What we won’t do
No promises. No before-and-after photographs. No “clears skin in 7 days”. We don’t publish pictures of anyone’s face or skin, we don’t rank products by commission, and we won’t tell you a result is coming when the research can’t say that.
Who we are
Researchers and writers — not dermatologists. What we do instead is read carefully, write plainly, and label how settled each claim is so you can judge it yourself. For anything on your own skin, a doctor is the right person.
When this is worth booking a doctor
Most acne can be worked on at home for a few months first. There are a handful of situations where a doctor simply has better options than a shelf does.
- It hurts under the skin and never comes to a head.
- You’ve given something twelve weeks and nothing changed.
- Marks are still there three months later.
- It’s affecting whether you want to leave the house.
We’re not doctors. This is just the list we’d want a friend to know about. Read the full page →