13 Dermatologist-Approved Acne Treatments That Don't Require A Prescription

More money, more problems? In some ways, we believe it. For common people on a budget, no long-lost family members have the audacity to come asking for cash. But it’s easy to poke a few glaring holes in the theory, and one of them is how the well-to-do are able to tackle a thing like acne.

For those with unlimited resources, popping in for a pricy dermatologist visit and a cortisone shot at the first signs of a baby blemish ain’t no thing. For those who don’t have gobs of money to throw at a rising zit, there are over-the-counter treatments to get us through. But which will take us from congested, inflamed, and tender to looking as if we have a derm on speed dial?

For that, we turned to big-league dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, who also serves as the director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. “I recommend treating acne at home in the same way that we approach it in the office: You want to get to the root of what causes acne by combining multiple different active ingredients that address different causative factors,” he says.

Dr. Zeichner's go-to combination for an at-home treatment? Topical benzoyl peroxide products paired with salicylic acid cleansers or scrubs. “Benzoyl peroxide helps lower levels of acne-causing bacteria on the skin and helps reduce inflammation, while salicylic acid helps remove excess oil and exfoliate the dead cells from the surface of the skin,” he says. Find the skin pro’s other first-line remedies, ahead, which makes getting rich-girl skin possible without a trip to the derm or a call to increase your credit line.