Unfortunately for many men, acne long outstays its (relatively speaking) pubescent welcome. The sheer volume of acne treatment types makes the matter all the more difficult to deal with—as if the mysterious cause of an adult breakout weren’t enough to ponder. As with most problems in life, the solution to ceaseless spots tends not to be a one-acne-cream-fixes-all matter, but a routine overhaul. This is why we’ve delved far beneath the surface level of spot-busting marketing and consulted the experts to bring you the very best acne treatment options for men to leave your skin blemish-free, whether you’re dealing with persistent breakouts or just the occasional whitehead.
The Best Acne Treatments, According to GQ
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Best Face Cleanser for Acne: Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser
The combination of highly effective but non-irritating ingredients used in this gently foaming daily face wash is ideally suited to oily, acne-prone skin. Dermatologically tested, it efficaciously targets the appearance of blemishes and helps prevent new ones from forming.
Using a skin-soothing cocktail of camphor, menthol, witch hazel and aloe, removes excess oil and dirt, purifies the pores, reduces the appearance of acne and doesn’t dry the skin out. Gentle enough to use twice daily, its active ingredients include salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy that helps refine skin texture, ginger root essential oil, a powerful antioxidant that defends skin from free radicals and frankincense to halt excess oil production in its tracks. Ideal for oily, blemish-prone skin.
Best Shower Filter for Acne: Hello Klean Shower Filter 2.0
The HelloKlean filter may be a less conventional treatment than most others on this list, but it’s not to be underestimated. That’s because when it comes to combating acne, a thorough cleanse is essential, but even your best face washes are hindered by hard water, which lessens lathering power, contains skin-drying chlorine and leaves an occlusive mineral film on the skin. Screwed onto your shower head, HelloKlean neutralizes nasties like chlorine and filters out soap scum-causing culprits, leaving your skin clean and prepped for topical treatments to properly penetrate your pores. Plus, whilst it delivers a shower stream that reduces dryness and irritation on your skin and scalp, it also does away with limescale on your tiles and taps. A win-win.
Best Emergency Breakout Solution: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch
To avoid lasting blemishes and scars, any dermatologist will tell you popping pimples is a no-no—but if you haven’t been able to resist, you’ll need some first aid, and quick. Enter the Mighty Patch—a thin, clear and circular plaster of sorts, which is completely free of actives and acids for safe treatment of open cuts. Just as effective for the man who’s shown restraint, its gel formula absorbs fluid from whiteheads without drying out the surrounding skin, quickening the time it takes for that pesky pimple that’s popped up the night before your meeting (typical) to disappear. Best of all, it’s practically invisible once applied, so if you needed to sport one to said meeting, you’re all set.
Best Soothing Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment
Sufferers of severe acne will know that deep cysts are among the hardest to manage. Tackling painful, inflamed bumps that linger under the skin’s surface usually calls for prescription medications like Roaccutane, which come with the risk of unpleasant side effects. With a game-changing formula that’s clinically proven to alleviate symptoms of cystic acne, Dr Murad’s treatment offers an effective over-the-counter alternative. Applied on clean, dry skin, this high-performance serum delivers maximum strength salicylic acid to clear the deepest blemishes, plus ground cherry extract to calm the inflammatory response. Preventing transepidermal water loss to promote healing, its liquid bandage technology forms a breathable film on top of breakout sites, leaving sensitized skin soothed and protected. We could regale you with the impressive results we saw when we put it to the test, but a quick scan on Tiktok will show you this treatment speaks for itself.
Best LED Face Mask for Acne: Omnilux Clear LED Mask
If your topical acne treatments have brought you no luck thus far, allow us to introduce you to Omnilux’s Clear LED mask. Backed by scientific research and heralded by Hollywood’s handsomest stars, this device employs the gold standard dermatological treatment that is LED light therapy. Offering the efficacy of a clinical procedure in the comfort of your own home, its medical-grade LEDs penetrate the dermis to target acne at the root. Blue light rays eliminate P.acnes bacteria whilst red light stimulates collagen and skin healing, all in a 10-minute timed session that makes your skincare straightforward. Strap it on over a clean face as you wind down in the evening, and with consistent use, you’ll have your clearest skin yet.
Best Face and Body Scrub: ZitSticka Fizz Fountain Body Scrub Exfoliant
Tackling acne on the face is one thing, but contending with bacne? Another thing entirely. Designed to target that annoying breed of breakouts that crop up on the back, arms, and chest—and if you’re particularly unlucky, where the sun doesn’t shine–Zitsticka’s Fizz Fountain scrub sloughs off dead skin that clogs the pores with pumice particles and AHAs, whilst the Silk Shake body wash eliminates acne-causing bacteria with tea tree oil and balancing probiotics. Used together, this minty duo will have your skin cleared, smoothed and polished, so lather up with both to banish body acne.
Best Affordable Spot Treatment: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
La Roche Posay’s Effaclar range is a dermatologist’s favorite, thanks to effective yet gentle hypoallergenic formulations that work on sensitive skin. Like the zit cream of your youth—but far more elevated—the treatment utilizes hero acne ingredient salicylic acid to zap away pesky breakouts in no time. A small tube to keep stocked for the occasional pimple, it refines pores without drying them for healthy skin healing.
Best Redness Reducer: 111Skin The Clarity Concentrate
The namesake brand of the renowned clinic at 111 Harley Street, 111 Skin delivers the highest level of cosmeceuticals to effectively treat your skin concerns. This potent acne treatment promises results in just one week, using a concentrate of silver, microalgae and Willow Bark BHAs to stimulate cell renewal. Snap the ampoules to apply an optimized daily dose, and you’ll soon see reduced redness, clarified pores and a rejuvenated complexion. With sebum-balancing and antibacterial ingredients that prevent whiteheads before they form, it’s one to keep in your grooming arsenal for clear skin maintenance.
Best Daily Acne Treatment: Horace Skin Perfecting Exfoliating Solution
Formulated with 95.3% natural-origin ingredients, this chemical-exfoliator/toner hybrid has been purposefully designed to improve the quality and texture of problematic skin. A newcomer to the Horace universe and suited to sensitive acne-prone skin, it actively helps reduce blemishes, tightens the pores and calms inflammation and redness with visible results in just six weeks. Formulated with salicylic acid (BHA), which effectively banishes blemishes and brightens the complexion, it also features gently exfoliating glycolic acid to help reduce blackheads, and a combination of lactic acid and glycerin to smooth the texture of your skin. A vegan-friendly solution, it should be applied using a cotton pad either every evening or every other evening depending on the sensitivity of your skin.
Best Complete Acne Treatment: Byoma So Clear Set
Getting to grips with acne-prone skin is as much about consistency and continuity when it comes to following a grooming regimen. This starter kit, offering an introduction to some of Byoma’s hardest-working and most effective blemish busters will set you on the right path, features three sized-to-try vegan skin saviors that won’t leave your skin feeling stressed out.
The kit includes a Creamy Jelly Cleanser with antioxidant-rich licorice root and green tea extract which forms a gentle foam that breaks down dirt, excess oil and debris without damaging the skin barrier, a Clarifying Serum with blue tansy and PHA + Zinc to clear and calm the complexion, and a Moisturizing Gel Cream, which instantly absorbs into thirsty skin, and features superstar actives, green tea and niacinamide. A one-stop shop for a clearer complexion’s needs, each formulation is enriched with Byoma’s signature lipid-boosting Tri-ceramide Complex.
More Acne Treatments We Love
For those in the know, LED face masks are some of the best tools to reduce acne and inflammation. Initially invented to aid military personnel in recovering from wounds faster, LED light therapy is now used in the beauty industry to encourage cell regrowth and healing, perfect for soothing tired skin blighted by acne and breakouts.
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