The real problem with acne is there are many different manifestations of it which are not properly addressed by science, and that different people react differently to different treatments. We all know them - some people get zits only on their
T-zone (the middle of the forehead, the noze area and the chin), some get it down their cheeks, some get it only on their chins and some get powdery sprinklings of tiny
zits all over. Some have large
postules and some don't. Some get it on their shoulders and some don't. Some people have lots of huge
blackheads and some just seem to get zits out of nowhere. These conditions are usually very distinct, but no
dermatologist has ever come up with a satisfactory answer to what, if any, are the differences between these conditions and how they should be approached.
Thus if you put the fate of your face in the hands of a dermatologist, you are in danger of taking and doing all sorts of rather harmful things (like antibiotics, large dozes of vitamin A, using extreme cleansing agents etc.) before hitting on the program that is right for you.
I've had acne for about 18 years now, and although I'm pushing my 30th year it shows no sign of going away. In that time I've taken antiobiotics and extremely large dozes of vitamin A, was subjected to bizarre diets and cleansing rituals (such as washing my hair every day with cosmetic soap rather than shampoo and not using any conditioner), used pure surgical spirits on my face, had cysts popped and then made to sit with pure Dead Sea mud on them (my God, that hurt), had radiotherapy (yes!), was prescribed literally dozens of miracle cosmetic products and almost pressured into taking some seriously dangerous drugs and having laser surgery on the scarring.
The one thing my extensive experience has taught me is that if the damn thing doesn't want to go away it simply doesn't. For most people, it will clear off naturally after puberty whether or not they do what the experts say. For others, it won't, whether or not they do what the experts say, and they can give up all hope for ever having a perfect powdery complexion with no visible pores or blotches. Tough shit.
It is, however, possible to curb acne and limit its spread and virulence. A proper diet is a big step in that direction; oily foods such as chocolate, nuts, cheese and anything deep fried will usually go straight to your face, as well as various foodstuffs that you might be slightly allergic to. With me, it's eggs, but it can be anything really. Other steps include good hygiene, regular exfoliation, and, heresy of heresies, violent intervention.
For decades now we've had it drummed into us that it is absolutely forbidden to expunge comedons or whiteheads through the use of force. Sorry, guys, but that is absolute vintage bullshit. The best way of preventing a clogged pore from turning into a zit is to unclog it.If you have persistent acne you'll have scarring anyway, and the extra little bit that is caused (temporarily, I might add) by popping the occasional zit is neither here nor there in this picture. However, if you don't want to give yourself more zits than you're preventing, do things properly and with care. The best thing is to find an old school cosmetician who will do it for you, and who was properly trained in what can be touched and how, and what should be left well alone. I will be noding a DIY guide sometime very soon, but don't blame me if your first attempts are abortive and counterproductive - it's a skill.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you're the only person who lives with your skin every day, watches its reactions, bemoans its tantrums and observes its cycles. Don't let anyone push anything on you which sounds iffy, or that you're sure wouldn't work. A good rule of thumb is not to do or use anything too extreme (one example is that the use of surgical spirits, which doctors are very big on, will usually provoke the skin to overproduce oils rather than the other way around, so it's a very false economy). Also keep in mind that although the acne might one day go away, your face is here to stay - so don't do it any permanent damage.