If you suffer from acne on your face or body , I'm sure you are very interested in getting rid of it once and for all.  Looking at the many ways to treat acne that are out there, I see that it all falls into basically two camps, the "Natural Acne Remedy" followers, and the "Acne Medication" die-hards.

From personal experience, I've seen both sides up close, and I think that each has their place.

When I was growing up, my sister had terrible acne, and she was constantly trying everything she could think of to get rid of it.  If there was an acne home remedy that she didn't try, I would be amazed.  She seemed to have encyclopedic knowledge about all sorts of herbs and potions and holistic ways to keep her face clear and clean.  She was the queen of home remedies for acne, but there was just one catch.  None of them worked for her.

Now after close to a year of trying every single home remedy for acne in existence, she finally gave up, went to the dermatologist and got herself a prescription for some acne medication who's name I can't remember.  And you know what?  A month later her skin was beautifully clear and smooth.

My cousin on the other hand, was going through a similar battle with acne at the same time.  (She is the same age as my sister and lived down the block, so I got to see a lot of her.)  My aunt is a nurse and has always scoffed at any sort of natural or alternative medicine, so she just kept taking my cousin to the dermatologist.  I can't even begin to think of how many different prescription creams and gels and washes she tried, but none of them worked for her.  In fact, many of them just dried out her skin, made her face red, or in some cases, made her acne breakouts worse.

Eventually, she got together with my sister, who convinced her to try some of the natural acne remedies she was so obsessed with.  My cousin started out on a cleansing acne diet, and began applying some smelly herbal concoction that my sister whipped up for her.  And lo and behold, a few weeks later, her face cleared up, and she's been a convert (to natural medicine) ever since.

And yes, my aunt eventually forgave my sister.

But anyway folks, there's a lot to be learned from that story.  Because what happened to them was a very real thing.  Both home remedies for acne and acne medications have their roles in treating acne, and also different things work better for different people.

Here's a little guide so you can see which one is right for you:

If you do, the I would recommend that you try a natural acne remedy first.  Most acne medications contain chemicals that are pretty harsh on the skin, so if yours is sensitive, you need to be extra careful. 

Bear in mind though, that just because something is natural doesn't mean that it's gentle.  I've seen more than one acne remedy that calls for vinegar, and I wouldn't recommend that for anyone with sensitive skin.

You may also want to try an acne diet to see if you can help to clear your skin from the inside out, so you don't have to risk irritating your skin with anything-- natural or not.

If you have severe acne, such as cystic acne, including acne conglobata and acne fulminans, than it is unlikely-- but not impossible-- that you will be able to get real results from a natural acne remedy. 

If this is the case for you, I would suggest that you go to a dermatologist and look into medical options for treating acne.  Severe acne can very quickly lead to scarring, so you want to get on top of it before it has a chance to get to that point.

If you have strong feelings about using home remedies for acne or about using prescription medications, then you should listen to those feelings.  No, how you feel about a method of treatment isn't likely going to affect how well it works for you (other than that you'll be more motivated and consistant about using it), but it's important to feel comfortable with the choices you make.

Some people are very careful about what they allow to enter their bodies and would prefer a natural acne remedy.  And other people scoff at the idea of herbs and such having any effect (although they are very powerful, and are the basis of many common medications), and would feel silly using them.

Since different treatments work for different people, and you really can't know until you try it which will work for you, I would recommend that you go with your gut feeling if you feel strongly about either of these two acne treatment methods.

If you think that you'd like to go the natural acne remedy route, here's a video you might find helpful.  You'll learn how to make a home-made mask that will not just treat your acne but will also help if you have dry or senstitive skin.