Acne is the most common skin ailment across the world and also across all age groups. One of the reasons for acne is believed to be a parasite called demodex mites. These parasites live on the human skin and hair follicles and are invisible to the naked eye.

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Background
Acne in Review takes a closer look at Differin. For those with severe acne, a prescription might be the way to go. And Differin is the #1 topical acne medication prescribed by dermatologists.

Differin is an adapalene medication that comes in either a gel or a cream. While all sorts of treatments promise to stop pimples before they form, topical retinoids like Differin are the only class of drugs proven to eliminate current blemishes and prevent future ones.

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Background
Our Acne in Review team was excited to review such a large and well known skin care name like Neostrata! The Neostrata online store is so massive that we are only focusing on its Neostrata named products.

Neostrata is a physician-dispensed skin care product line that improves the visible signs of aging as well as treats dermatological conditions such as acne, dry skin, hyperkeratosis, and clarity. Neostrata uses advanced hydroxy acid technology to help treat these many different skin conditions.

Ingredients
Neostrata uses a combination of AHAs and PHAs in their formulas. Glycolic Acid is used in Neostrata’s anti-aging products. They were selected because of their ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Lactobionic Acid is also used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and to plump-up the skin.

Citric Acid can help minimize the damaging effects of the sun and pollution. Tocopheryl Acetate is Vitamin E acetate and is a well known antioxidant. Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5. It is a moisturizer and skin conditioner.

Mandelic Acid is used in Neostrata’s acne related products because it is known to reduce facial oil.

Neostrata’s products are all hypoallergenic meaning they are non-irritating. Neostrata has clinical data showing that PHA’s are non-irritating and also safe for use around the eyes.

Website
Neostrata’s website is divided into three huge sections. Upon entering you are asked to choose between Corporate, International, or USA sections. After making your selection, you are brought to the appropriate web page for your needs. This is just one way that illustrates how vast and comprehensive this website really is.

Our Acne in Review Treatment team was impressed to see that visitors to this website can find products by brand, skin concern, and category. Visitors can also search by keywords. This was helpful, especially since Neostrata has so many different brands.

The sheer size of this website makes it a bit overwhelming. Most of the pages are very busy, with tabs and links in several places.

Our team found a boatload of information and interesting acne tips. There are testimonials, FAQs, an “As Seen In” section, product reviews, and catalogue ordering just to name a few of the sections available on this website. This website has everything you could need or want.

Lifestyle
Neostrata contains a plethora of interesting and informative information for potential customers to look at, before purchasing their products.

Our team enjoyed reading the huge testimonial section provided, and found it helpful to be able to look at testimonials based on brands.

We also found an extremely large section devoted to media coverage. We were impressed to see discover that Neostrata products have been featured in virtually every magazine imaginable. You can even click on the specific magazine article and read the review.

Overall this website gives potential customers a very comprehensive outlook on Neostrata’s products. Our team thinks Neostrata does a fantastic job backing up their claims.

Pros
Acne in Review felt that Neostrata’s website has something for everyone. They have so many products geared towards many different skin conditions. Their comprehensive FAQ section is designed to help users determine which product lines and which specific product would suit their skin type and skin condition best.

Neostrata is very reasonably priced, especially with all of the deals and offers they have on their website. Neostrata also offers a 30 day money-back guarantee if you have a problem with any product you purchase from their website. The psoriasis cream has a 90 day money-back guarantee.

Cons
Our Acne in Review team felt that this website could include sections that would appeal to a younger demographic. We found that the website was mainly geared towards an older audience. The language, the site design, and a lot of the products are created for adults.

Tricks
Standard shipping is $5.95 but Neostrata offers free ground shipping on all orders over $75. There is also a Friends and Family Discount of 20%.

You can choose three free samples on orders over $75 and you also can get a free Neostrata lip balm on all orders over $35.

Background
Our Acne in Review Treatment Team was excited to analyze the benefits of BenzaClin. Why? Because more prescriptions are written for BenzaClin than any other combination acne treatment in America!

BenzaClin is a prescription-based topical combination acne cream used to treat whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.

BenzaClin is very easy to use. You just need to apply a small amount of the gel to the affected areas such as the chin or forehead and this powerful formula gets to work. BenzaClin can easily fit into your daily skin regiment and can even be worn under makeup!

Our Acne in Review Treatment team liked the fact that BenzaClin comes in a pump delivery system. With a pump you don’t have to touch the nozzle, which reduces bacterial contamination.

Specifically, BenzaClin offers the following…

• Users see visible results in as little as two weeks
• It’s effective against two types of acne
• Can be worn under makeup and easily fit into your skincare routine
• More doctors prescribe BenzaClin® than any other topical combination acne treatment on the market

Ingredients
Acne in Review felt there could be a bit more information about the ingredients in BenzaClin.

All we know is that it combines the acne-fighting power of two active ingredients: benzoyl peroxide (5%) and clindamycin (1%).

Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used in the fight against acne. It is effective in drying the oil commonly found in patients with acne vulgaris and helps to reduce inflammation. Clindamycin is an antibiotic that helps fight bacteria and reduces inflammation.

Website
The website for BenzaClin is short and to the point. It was easy to navigate and is appealing and professional. Our Acne in Review team was able to get around the site easily and find the sections we were looking for thanks to the well labelled section tabs.

The website seems to be geared towards teens and, although it seems non-gendered, there is a separate section for males. And, the website has some great sections geared towards parent information, male acne, and information for doctors. You can also take a quiz to assess your acne situation.

Our only concern was that the website lacked detailed information. Each section in the website is quite small. Our team felt like we were left wanting a bit more information to prove the effectiveness of BenzaClin.

Lifestyle
The BenzaClin website has FAQs for acne in general, but doesn’t provide answers we had about the product.

Our team did find a graph displaying the results from clinical trials and the positive effects of BenzaClin as well as some before and after photos, however we felt that a few customer testimonials would have been important to include.

Pros
BenzaClin is only available through prescription, so you cannot purchase it through its website. BenzaClin is a much more powerful medication than any over the counter treatment and, because it is a prescription treatment, it is FDA approved, meaning that it has been thoroughly tested.

BenzaClin is also the only combination acne treatment that is available in a pump form. The pump delivery system is patient and doctor preferred by a recent survey.

Cons
Because BenzaClin is a strong prescription it does come with some possible side effects. Side effects include dry skin, itching, burning, peeling, redness, and sunburn.

Our Acne Team was concerned that Benzoyl Peroxide can dry out most types of skin and in some cases cause excessive dryness and flaking. And, the ingredient clindamycin may has been know to cause diarrhea.

The website warns that if any of these side effects persist, you should contact your doctor.

Tricks
You can receive a $15 rebate through the BenzaClin site. Just download the rebate certificate, complete it and mail it in with your prescription receipt!