Some pimples, and a clear first step.

• No deep sore lumps

  Those are the kind that scar. You do not have them. That is the best news on this page.

• No dents or scars

  Everything you have now can get better with the plan. Nothing here is for good.

• Not many pimples with pus

  Pus pimples are the kind that leave marks. You have few or none.

• Your cheeks are clear

  The plan only has to work on the parts that have pimples.

• Your marks will fade

  Flat red or brown marks go away on their own. Sunscreen every day makes it faster.

• You have the right two gels from day one

  Doctors' guides name these two as a first choice for acne. You start with them.

This plan follows the doctors' guides for everyday acne. Everyone who does not have a doctor's medicine gets the same two gels. What changes for you: how gently you start (from how easily your skin stings), notes about what you already tried, a mark cream if your photo shows flat marks and you pick 12 weeks, and whether you should see a doctor first.

Acne gel (adapalene 0.1%)

Opens the blocked hole and stops new ones from blocking.

Pimple gel (benzoyl peroxide 2.5%)

Kills the germs that make a pimple red and sore.

After week 12, keep the gels every night. Count once a month. See a doctor if pimples come back a lot.

1. 1

   Gentle face wash

   Look for: "gentle", "fragrance free"

   Not: "scrub", "exfoliating", "acne wash", "salicylic"

   A coin size, twice a day. A 200 ml bottle, about 3 months.

   Cleans without the tight feeling.

2. 2

   Pimple gel (benzoyl peroxide 2.5%)

   Look for: "benzoyl peroxide 2.5%", "gel or lotion"

   Not: "10%", "wash"

   A pea for the whole area, at night. A 60 g tube, about 2 months.

   Kills the germs that make pimples red. Buy a white towel and pillowcase. It bleaches color.

3. 3

   Acne gel (adapalene 0.1%)

   Look for: "adapalene 0.1%", "gel"

   Not: "retinol", "salicylic"

   A pea for the whole face, at night. A 45 g tube, about 3 months. The small 15 g tube lasts about 1 month.

   Opens the tiny holes where pimples start. Stops new ones.

4. 4

   Light moisturizer

   Look for: "oil free", "fragrance free", "will not clog pores"

   Not: "anti-aging", "acne"

   A blueberry size, twice a day. A 100 ml bottle, about 2 months.

   Keeps skin soft so the gels do not sting. On many boxes "will not clog pores" is written as "non-comedogenic". Same thing.

5. 5

   Sunscreen SPF 30

   Look for: "SPF 30 or more", "broad spectrum", "oil free"

   Not: "tanning", "SPF 15"

   Two finger lines, every morning. A 50 ml bottle, about 1 month if you use enough.

   Stops marks from getting darker. The acne gel makes sun burn you faster.

6. 6

   Mark cream (azelaic acid 10%)from week 5

   Look for: "azelaic acid 10%"

   Not: "20%"

   A pea, in the morning. A 30 g tube, about 2 months.

   Fades the red and brown marks old pimples left.

• Wash twice a day at most, with your fingertips. Never scrub.
• Thin layer on the whole area that gets pimples. Not dots on each spot.
• Keep the gels away from your eyes, lips, and the corners of your nose.
• No salicylic acid, no harsh soap, no scrubs, no alcohol toner while you use the acne gel.You were using salicylic acid. Stop it now.
• Sunscreen SPF 30 every morning, even on cloudy days. The acne gel makes you burn faster.
• Do not touch, pick, or squeeze. Picking makes marks.
• Keep oily hair off your forehead. Wash your hair often if it is oily.
• Use a white towel and pillowcase. The pimple gel bleaches color.
• Nothing else new for 12 weeks. If it stings, it is easy to know why.
• Give it 12 weeks. The adapalene label says results can take up to 3 months.
• Put the gels next to your toothbrush. Set a reminder on your phone.

Weeks 1 to 2

Some sting, some dry skin. Maybe a few extra pimples. They were already on the way.

Weeks 2 to 4

Dry, red, and peeling is normal now. Moisturizer fixes most of it. Pimples look the same.

Weeks 5 to 6

Fewer new pimples. It can feel slow. The adapalene label says results can take up to 3 months.

Weeks 7 to 8

Clearly fewer pimples. Marks start to fade. Now you can judge the plan.

Weeks 9 to 12

The real result. Skin is used to the gels. Marks keep fading. This is your normal night now.

You have a lot of pimples, more than 20.

A doctor has stronger medicine that works faster.

Pimples are deep, big, or hurt.

Those kinds need a doctor. Creams from a store cannot reach them.

Pimples leave dents or scars.

Only a doctor can treat scars. Sooner is better.

A spot is hot, swollen, very sore, or has yellow crust. Or you feel sick with it.

That can be an infection. Go soon.

Pimples make you sad, or you skip school, work, or friends because of them.

That matters as much as the pimples. Say it to the doctor.

No change after 12 weeks of every night.

The plan was done right and it was not enough. The next step is medicine.

• Food is not the main cause of acne. For some people, skim milk and sugary food may make it worse.
• Do not ban foods. Notice your own pattern. If a food is followed by more pimples two days later, more than once, cut back on that one.
• Drink water. Eat normal food.

• Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2024)
• Acne vulgaris: management (NG198) (NICE)
• Acne (NHS)
• Label: ADAPALENE GEL 0.1% gel (DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine)
• FDA warns of rare but serious hypersensitivity reactions with certain over-the-counter topical acne products (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2014, archived copy)
• Comparing 2.5%, 5%, and 10% benzoyl peroxide on inflammatory acne vulgaris (International Journal of Dermatology, 1986)