Acne: Types, Treatment and How to Get Rid of It

Quick answer

Acne is a medical condition, not a hygiene problem. It happens when oil, dead skin cells and bacteria block hair follicles and the surrounding skin becomes inflamed. Treatment works, but it takes 8 to 12 weeks before you can judge it. Mild acne responds to over-the-counter products, moderate to severe acne needs a dermatologist, and treating early is the only reliable way to prevent scarring.

Key takeaways

• Give any treatment 8 to 12 weeks. Skin often looks slightly worse in the first few weeks, and most people give up before anything has had a chance to work.

• Never use a steroid cream on acne. They are widely sold over the counter in India, they appear to work for a few days, and then they cause steroid-induced acne and lasting skin damage.

• Dark marks are not scars. On Indian skin, most of what people call scarring is post-inflammatory pigmentation, which fades over months. True scars are textural and need clinical treatment.

• Picking is the single strongest predictor of scarring. Nothing else you do matters as much.

• Nodules and cysts should not be managed with over-the-counter products. They scar, and that scarring is preventable with early treatment.

What is acne?

Acne occurs when hair follicles, the tiny openings in your skin, become blocked. Each follicle has an oil gland attached to it, and when oil and dead skin cells build up inside, the follicle plugs, becomes inflamed, or both.

Three things happen together:

1. Excess oil production, driven by hormones

2. Blocked pores, as dead skin cells shed abnormally and stick together inside the follicle

3. Bacteria and inflammation, as a bacterium that lives normally on skin multiplies in the blocked follicle and the immune system responds

Our guide to the causes of acne explains each of these in detail, along with what makes acne worse.

Two corrections worth making up front. Acne is not caused by poor hygiene, and washing more does not help. And while an individual spot may settle within days, acne as a condition does not resolve in four or five days. Treating it is a matter of months, not days, and expecting otherwise is why most people abandon treatment too early.

Types of acne

Nodules and cysts are the ones that scar. If you have them, the useful step is a dermatologist appointment rather than another product.

Treatment, by severity

Every treatment below needs 8 to 12 weeks before you can judge it. Skin sometimes looks slightly worse in the first few weeks as blocked follicles clear, which is expected rather than a sign it is failing.

The key active ingredients

Two things worth knowing about antibiotics. Oral antibiotics for acne should be used for a limited period and combined with benzoyl peroxide or a topical retinoid rather than used alone. Long courses by themselves drive antibiotic resistance without controlling the acne.

The basic routine underneath all of this: gentle cleanser twice a day, a non-comedogenic moisturiser, and daily sunscreen. Skipping moisturiser because your skin is oily is the most common mistake, and it makes every active harder to tolerate.

Acne in pregnancy and while breastfeeding

Several standard treatments change here, and this matters because acne is common in pregnancy and very common after delivery.

Confirm all of this with your own dermatologist and obstetrician before acting on it. And tell whoever writes your prescription that you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding before it is written, not afterwards.

Our guides to skin changes during pregnancy and postpartum skincare cover the wider picture.

Dark marks are not scars

This is the most useful distinction on the page, and it is the one most often confused, particularly on Indian skin.

The test is texture. Run a finger over it. If the skin is smooth and only the colour differs, it is a mark, not a scar, and it will fade. If the surface is indented or raised, it is a scar.

Why this matters: most of what people spend money trying to remove is pigmentation, which responds to sunscreen, time and gentle brightening actives, and does not need lasers or aggressive procedures.

Treating marks and scars

For dark marks and pigmentation

1. Daily sunscreen, SPF 30 or above. This is not optional. UV exposure deepens post-inflammatory marks and slows their fading, and it is the single most effective thing you can do

2. Control the active acne first. New spots create new marks faster than old ones fade

3. Azelaic acid, niacinamide or vitamin C to help them fade

4. Topical retinoid at night, if suitable for you

5. Patience. Months, not weeks

6. A dermatologist can add prescription options or gentle chemical peels if they are not fading

For true scars

No home remedy removes an atrophic scar. Honey, aloe, rosehip oil, black seed oil, lemon and turmeric do not rebuild the collagen that was lost. Some of them are pleasant, most are harmless, and none of them fills an indentation.

What a dermatologist can offer:

On Indian skin specifically: aggressive laser settings carry a higher risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation, meaning the treatment can leave darker marks than the scars it was treating. Choose a dermatologist experienced with deeper skin tones, and be cautious of salons and clinics offering these procedures without medical supervision.

Preventing scars in the first place

This is where the real gain is.

• Treat acne early, particularly nodules and cysts

• Do not pick or squeeze. The strongest single predictor of scarring

• Use sunscreen daily

• See a dermatologist if over-the-counter treatment has not worked in 8 to 12 weeks

What not to do

When to see a dermatologist

Book an appointment if:

• You have deep, painful nodules or cysts

• Acne is leaving marks or scars

• Over-the-counter products have not worked after 8 to 12 weeks

• Acne is affecting your mood, confidence or social life. This is a legitimate medical reason

• It started or worsened suddenly in adulthood

• It comes with irregular periods, excess facial or body hair, or scalp hair thinning, which may point to PCOS

• You are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding and need treatment

• You have been using a steroid cream on your face

• Acne appeared after starting a medication or supplement

Seek prompt care for a sudden severe eruption with fever or joint pain, painful swollen areas that are spreading, or a rash that does not look like typical acne.

Frequently asked questions

How long does acne take to clear?
Any treatment needs 8 to 12 weeks before you can judge it, and skin may look slightly worse in the first few weeks. Acne is managed over months, not days.

How do I get rid of acne on my face fast?
There is no fast route. The quickest genuine progress comes from starting an appropriate treatment and sticking with it for three months, and from not picking.

Is acne caused by oily food?
Not directly. Some studies link high-sugar and high-glycaemic diets, and possibly dairy, with acne, but the effect is modest. Diet is not the main driver.

Can I remove acne scars at home?
Dark marks fade with sunscreen, time and gentle actives. True indented or raised scars do not respond to home remedies and need dermatologist-led treatment.

What is the difference between a scar and a dark mark?
Texture. If the skin is smooth and only the colour differs, it is a mark and it will fade. If the surface is indented or raised, it is a scar.

Is a steroid cream good for pimples?
No. Steroid creams are one of the most common causes of worsening acne in India. Never use one on acne.

Can I use acne treatment while pregnant?
Some, yes. Azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide and topical clindamycin are commonly used. Oral isotretinoin is absolutely contraindicated, and topical retinoids and oral tetracyclines are generally avoided.

Will squeezing a pimple help it heal faster?
No. It pushes inflammation deeper, delays healing, and is the single biggest cause of scarring.

Do I need antibiotics for acne?
Sometimes, for moderate acne, but for a limited period and combined with a topical treatment rather than used alone.

Does acne mean I have PCOS?
Not on its own. Acne along the jawline with irregular periods, excess facial or body hair or scalp hair thinning is worth assessing for PCOS.

The bottom line

Acne is a treatable medical condition, and the main reason people do not clear it is stopping too early, because everything takes eight to twelve weeks. Treat gently, moisturise even if your skin is oily, use sunscreen daily, and never put a steroid cream on your face. Most of what looks like scarring on Indian skin is pigmentation that will fade with time and sun protection, and the marks that genuinely will not fade are the ones worth seeing a dermatologist about, ideally before they form.

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology, guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris

• British Association of Dermatologists, acne patient information

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Acne vulgaris: management

• NHS, acne

• Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists, acne guidance and position on topical steroid misuse

• National Institutes of Health, LactMed, Drugs and Lactation Database

• Peer-reviewed dermatology literature on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and acne scarring in skin of colour

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not start or stop any prescription acne treatment without your doctor, particularly if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding.

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