If you are struggling with acne issues, you are not alone. Famous celebrities like Katy Perry, Cameron Diaz and Miley Cyrus are just like us and they struggle with a variety of acne woes. So it’s important to not let acne rob you of your self-esteem as there are many treatments and products out there that can help deal with monthly hormonal breakouts or constant flare-ups of cystic acne.

Acne appears when a pore in our skin clogs. This clog begins with dead skin cells. Normally, dead skin cells rise to surface of the pore, and the body sheds the cells. When the body starts to make lots of sebum (see-bum), oil that keeps our skin from drying out, the dead skin cells can stick together inside the pore. Instead of rising to the surface, the cells become trapped inside the pore.

Sometimes bacteria that live on our skin, p. acnes, also get inside the clogged pore. Inside the pore, the bacteria have a perfect environment for multiplying very quickly. With loads of bacteria inside, the pore becomes inflamed (red and swollen). If the inflammation goes deep into the skin, an acne cyst or nodule appears.

For those who are looking to get rid of acne, they should take a 3-step approach to ensure their acne problem is under control.