The first step to clear skin!

Acne treatment can be a loooooong process! I've had it for about five years and I'm still undergoing treatment.
We all know there are different levels of severity when it comes to acne; you could be one of the lucky ones who can go to the shops and buy a bottle of neutrogena and it clears up straight away, but if you're like me chances are that you're spending endless amounts of money on brand name products that don't work.
Products like neutrogena, clean and clear and freederm are made for superficial acne (spots close to the surface of the skin that clear up within a day or so) so if you have a more severe case then these products are probably not going to work at all. Personally, I found they were a waste of money!

If nothing seems to be working, the best thing and first thing you should do is visit your GP. Your doctor can prescribe you medications and cream which will basically kill that bacteria in the pores.
There are a number of things they can prescribe and it's worth trying them out before you move onto the more serious treatments.
Here's a list of things your doctor can prescribe:

• The contraceptive pill: For girls, of course. It doesn't matter if you're sexually active or not, the contraceptive pill contains hormones that help lessen the amount of sebum the sebaceous glands produce (and for the record, if you do end up having to take Roaccutane, all girls have to simultaneously take the contraceptive pill to make sure you don't get pregnant regardless of whether you are sexually active).
• Tretinoin cream/gel/lotion: contains vitamin A (just like Roaccutane, but very mild) which helps to remove dead skin cells that might be blocking your pores.
• Antibiotics: This can be in cream form like benzoyl peroxide or in tablet form. The tablets are usually prescribed for more aggressive types and you are usually given a 6 month prescription. With most creams and gels you get a 3 month prescription.

None of these worked for me, but they did for my brother! Everybody responds differently to different treatments so don't refuse to try something because your friend told you it didn't work! And it doesn't matter if you think that your acne isn't "serious" enough for a doctors visit; don't think like that, you'll make yourself miserable and doctors are there to help!
You have to have tried every treatment before you can start taking Roaccutane so it's worth going to see if any of the milder treatments work for you, Roaccutane is always the last resort in acne management (in the UK atleast, if they have different methods of prescription in any other countries please let me know!)

I'll talk in depth about my experiences with Roaccutane another day.

I know that visiting your doctor can be a little bit daunting or embarassing but they know what they're doing and can offer you a range of products that might just make the difference!
My mum went with me to every doctors appointment, if you have a parent or friend who is willing to do the same take them with you because you might feel less nervous that way!
Infact, my mum told me to call this post "Step 1: Moaning to your mother until she takes you to the doctor."

- Natalie