9 Best Acne-Fighting Products -- and the 3 Worst

The best acne products are essential for adults suffering from bad skin. While some women are lucky enough to outgrow teen acne (or skip it entirely -- jerks), the rest of us need help dealing with the recurring blemishes in our 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond. That's when this list of the best acne products -- along with the ones you should avoid -- becomes especially handy. With it, we can navigate the endless acne treatment options out there and hone in on the best acne products that will help us treat everything from cystic acne and the occasional monster zit to chin acne or recurring breakouts.

Of course, products aren't the only acne solution. That's why we talked to Doris Day, M.D. Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. She gave us these tips on how to prevent zits from popping up in the first place:

• Get seven to eight hours of sleep at night, which is the time needed for skin to recoup and heal any damage done during the day.
• Cut out dairy. The additional androgen hormones in cow's milk can cause hormonal imbalances in women and result in breakouts.
• Eat antioxidant-rich cranberries, pomegranates and blueberries to help your face (and body) heal faster.
• Change your pillowcase daily to remove any bacteria or leftover makeup residue.

Then, try these reader-tested acne products that reviewers say turn acne into a distant memory -- just like that cheesy haircut (and equally cheesy boyfriend) that you had in high school.

Thumbnail Image via Daum

Having tried everything under the sun for years, I finally found that glycolic acid is the only thing that saved me from my hormonal acne woes. I've been using it for over two years now and my skin have done a complete 180. You'd never guess that less than 10 years ago my brother called me crater face because it was THAT bad.

in the past, i regularly used the neutrogena stress control cream cleanser. it felt very refreshing and cooling to the skin, but it was terrible at removing my makeup (especially around the eyes) so i had to use another facial wash afterwards. My dermatologist recommended Citrus Clear, because I wanted a natural product to help with the acne. i was pleasantly surprised to see my face and not a raccoon staring back at me in the mirror. if it can remove my mascara and eyeliner, i know it removes a lot of other impurities too. i have mild acne and since i've been washing with Citrus Clear twice a day (anymore than that will dry out your skin), i've noticed significant improvement in my skin.