All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Unfortunately for many men, acne long outstays its (relatively speaking) pubescent welcome. The sheer volume of acne treatment types makes the matter all the more difficult to deal with—as if the mysterious cause of an adult breakout weren't enough to ponder. As with most problems in life, the solution to ceaseless spots tends not to be a one-acne-cream-fixes-all matter, but a routine overhaul. This is why we've delved far beneath the surface level of spot-busting marketing and consulted the experts to bring you the very best acne treatment options for men to leave your skin blemish-free, whether you're dealing with persistent breakouts or just the occasional whitehead.
The Best Acne Treatments, According to GQ
- Best Face Cleanser: Kiehl's Blue Herbal Blemish Cleanser Treatment, $29
- Best Shower Filter: Hello Klean Filter, $68
- Best Emergency Breakout Solution: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch, $22
- Best Soothing Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Blemish Treatment, $45
- Best LED Face Mask: Omnilux Clear LED Mask, $395
- Best Face and Body Scrub: Zit Sticka Fizz Fountain, $25
Best Face Cleanser for Acne: Kiehl's Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser
The combination of highly effective but non-irritating ingredients used in this gently foaming daily face wash is ideally suited to oily, acne-prone skin. Dermatologically tested, it efficaciously targets the appearance of blemishes and helps prevent new ones from forming.
Using a skin-soothing cocktail of camphor, menthol, witch hazel and aloe, removes excess oil and dirt, purifies the pores, reduces the appearance of acne and doesn’t dry the skin out. Gentle enough to use twice daily, its active ingredients include salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy that helps refine skin texture, ginger root essential oil, a powerful antioxidant that defends skin from free radicals and frankincense to halt excess oil production in its tracks. Ideal for oily, blemish-prone skin.
Best Shower Filter for Acne: Hello Klean Shower Filter 2.0
The HelloKlean filter may be a less conventional treatment than most others on this list, but it's not to be underestimated. That's because when it comes to combating acne, a thorough cleanse is essential, but even your best face washes are hindered by hard water, which lessens lathering power, contains skin-drying chlorine and leaves an occlusive mineral film on the skin. Screwed onto your shower head, HelloKlean neutralizes nasties like chlorine and filters out soap scum-causing culprits, leaving your skin clean and prepped for topical treatments to properly penetrate your pores. Plus, whilst it delivers a shower stream that reduces dryness and irritation on your skin and scalp, it also does away with limescale on your tiles and taps. A win-win.
Best Emergency Breakout Solution: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch
To avoid lasting blemishes and scars, any dermatologist will tell you popping pimples is a no-no—but if you haven't been able to resist, you'll need some first aid, and quick. Enter the Mighty Patch—a thin, clear and circular plaster of sorts, which is completely free of actives and acids for safe treatment of open cuts. Just as effective for the man who's shown restraint, its gel formula absorbs fluid from whiteheads without drying out the surrounding skin, quickening the time it takes for that pesky pimple that's popped up the night before your meeting (typical) to disappear. Best of all, it's practically invisible once applied, so if you needed to sport one to said meeting, you're all set.
Best Soothing Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment
Sufferers of severe acne will know that deep cysts are among the hardest to manage. Tackling painful, inflamed bumps that linger under the skin's surface usually calls for prescription medications like Roaccutane, which come with the risk of unpleasant side effects. With a game-changing formula that's clinically proven to alleviate symptoms of cystic acne, Dr Murad's treatment offers an effective over-the-counter alternative. Applied on clean, dry skin, this high-performance serum delivers maximum strength salicylic acid to clear the deepest blemishes, plus ground cherry extract to calm the inflammatory response. Preventing transepidermal water loss to promote healing, its liquid bandage technology forms a breathable film on top of breakout sites, leaving sensitized skin soothed and protected. We could regale you with the impressive results we saw when we put it to the test, but a quick scan on Tiktok will show you this treatment speaks for itself.
Best LED Face Mask for Acne: Omnilux Clear LED Mask
If your topical acne treatments have brought you no luck thus far, allow us to introduce you to Omnilux's Clear LED mask. Backed by scientific research and heralded by Hollywood's handsomest stars, this device employs the gold standard dermatological treatment that is LED light therapy. Offering the efficacy of a clinical procedure in the comfort of your own home, its medical-grade LEDs penetrate the dermis to target acne at the root. Blue light rays eliminate P.acnes bacteria whilst red light stimulates collagen and skin healing, all in a 10-minute timed session that makes your skincare straightforward. Strap it on over a clean face as you wind down in the evening, and with consistent use, you'll have your clearest skin yet.
Best Face and Body Scrub: ZitSticka Fizz Fountain Body Scrub Exfoliant
Tackling acne on the face is one thing, but contending with bacne? Another thing entirely. Designed to target that annoying breed of breakouts that crop up on the back, arms, and chest—and if you're particularly unlucky, where the sun doesn't shine–Zitsticka's Fizz Fountain scrub sloughs off dead skin that clogs the pores with pumice particles and AHAs, whilst the Silk Shake body wash eliminates acne-causing bacteria with tea tree oil and balancing probiotics. Used together, this minty duo will have your skin cleared, smoothed and polished, so lather up with both to banish body acne.
Best Affordable Spot Treatment: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
La Roche Posay's Effaclar range is a dermatologist's favorite, thanks to effective yet gentle hypoallergenic formulations that work on sensitive skin. Like the zit cream of your youth—but far more elevated—the treatment utilizes hero acne ingredient salicylic acid to zap away pesky breakouts in no time. A small tube to keep stocked for the occasional pimple, it refines pores without drying them for healthy skin healing.
Best Redness Reducer: 111Skin The Clarity Concentrate
The namesake brand of the renowned clinic at 111 Harley Street, 111 Skin delivers the highest level of cosmeceuticals to effectively treat your skin concerns. This potent acne treatment promises results in just one week, using a concentrate of silver, microalgae and Willow Bark BHAs to stimulate cell renewal. Snap the ampoules to apply an optimized daily dose, and you'll soon see reduced redness, clarified pores and a rejuvenated complexion. With sebum-balancing and antibacterial ingredients that prevent whiteheads before they form, it's one to keep in your grooming arsenal for clear skin maintenance.
Best Daily Acne Treatment: Horace Skin Perfecting Exfoliating Solution
Formulated with 95.3% natural-origin ingredients, this chemical-exfoliator/toner hybrid has been purposefully designed to improve the quality and texture of problematic skin. A newcomer to the Horace universe and suited to sensitive acne-prone skin, it actively helps reduce blemishes, tightens the pores and calms inflammation and redness with visible results in just six weeks. Formulated with salicylic acid (BHA), which effectively banishes blemishes and brightens the complexion, it also features gently exfoliating glycolic acid to help reduce blackheads, and a combination of lactic acid and glycerin to smooth the texture of your skin. A vegan-friendly solution, it should be applied using a cotton pad either every evening or every other evening depending on the sensitivity of your skin.
Best Complete Acne Treatment: Byoma So Clear Set
Getting to grips with acne-prone skin is as much about consistency and continuity when it comes to following a grooming regimen. This starter kit, offering an introduction to some of Byoma’s hardest-working and most effective blemish busters will set you on the right path, features three sized-to-try vegan skin saviors that won’t leave your skin feeling stressed out.
The kit includes a Creamy Jelly Cleanser with antioxidant-rich licorice root and green tea extract which forms a gentle foam that breaks down dirt, excess oil and debris without damaging the skin barrier, a Clarifying Serum with blue tansy and PHA + Zinc to clear and calm the complexion, and a Moisturizing Gel Cream, which instantly absorbs into thirsty skin, and features superstar actives, green tea and niacinamide. A one-stop shop for a clearer complexion’s needs, each formulation is enriched with Byoma’s signature lipid-boosting Tri-ceramide Complex.
More Acne Treatments We Love
For those in the know, LED face masks are some of the best tools to reduce acne and inflammation. Initially invented to aid military personnel in recovering from wounds faster, LED light therapy is now used in the beauty industry to encourage cell regrowth and healing, perfect for soothing tired skin blighted by acne and breakouts.
Currentbody's lightweight mask only needs a few minutes to get started, shining intense infrared light through the layers of skin to boost and fortify growth. Pair it up with a tincture or serum and you'll quickly notice healthier, glowing skin sans spots.
Murad's daily moisturizer uses an innovative Quorum Sensing Technology to prevent any increase in acne-causing bacteria. Basically, your face is home to millions of perfectly balanced bacteria known as the microbiome that protects like a second layer of skin. When these bacteria form groups this disrupts the microbiome’s healthy function, causing irritation associated with breakouts. A clarifying and lightweight hydrator in an oil-free, non-comedogenic, gel-textured formula, it ticks all of the boxes for acne-prone skin; calming, decreasing oil production and efficaciously preventing breakouts. Also enriched with Korean red pine extract to help minimize impurities, ginger root extract to comfort, soothe and nourish, sustained-release hyaluronic acid to enhance your skin’s ability to attract and hold water for long-lasting hydration, and salicylic acid to gently exfoliate.
These first-of-their-kind acne treatment dots help to minimise the damage caused by breakouts and reduce the appearance of redness and irritation while you sleep. It works by combining a healing hydrocolloid polymer technology, which penetrates to extract impurities while creating a barrier that guards against external compromise, with potent salicylic acid that penetrates the pores to clear acne blemishes. Elsewhere, aloe vera leaf extract gently soothes to minimize the appearance of any
"angry" redness and there's vitamin A to promote clearer-looking skin. Vegan and gluten-free, the focused treatment also prevents picking and achieves visibly noticeable results in as little as six hours; apply (tacky side down) to clean skin and directly on the spot.
This water-free version of The Ordinary’s bestselling cult serum, Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, has been formulated for those with extra-sensitive, blemish-prone skin and uses a squalane base to ensure even greater reduced skin irritation. Alcohol-free, silicone-free, oil-free and vegan, it can be used all over the face or in targeted topical areas. More a preventative than a healing treatment its specialities are gentle exfoliation and pore decongestion. An SOS product that can be applied both morning and evening, it contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) which promote superficial chemical exfoliation and salicylic acid, a lipophilic BHA, that effectively targets the oil held within the pores that can lead to congestion and then onto acne breakouts. A word of warning; BHAs can increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so it is recommended that this serum is combined with an SPF product/sunscreen during the daytime.
Acne Treatments FAQ
What causes acne in men?
“The causes of acne in men are the same as for women,” says Elena Cudworth, aesthetician and founder of Elenique Skin Clinic, which counts many a Made in Chelsea cast member among its celebrity clientele. "An excess of sebum on the skin results in clogged pores/hair follicles which cause acne: whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, spots, and cysts (cystic acne). Factors such as hormonal changes, diet, or stress levels can cause an overproduction of sebum. Male clients produce more of the hormone testosterone, and their hair follicles can be more active and produce more sebum, leading to clogged pores and breakouts."
With regards to what you can control from a men's grooming perspective, the key is finding balance (we know, this is the key to pretty much everything). Skin prone to secreting oily matter known as sebum tends to be most at risk of breakouts, though too much removal of said oil, leading to dryness, causes the skin to produce too much oil to correct the matter. That's why you're best off looking for a well-rounded regime that removes oil without drying (something so many over-the-counter spot busters fail to do), keeping your skin in that sweetest of blemish-free middle ground.
Can acne in men be related to shaving?
Men often blame acne breakouts on their razor blades, but in actual fact, these breakouts are more likely to be caused by ingrown hairs or folliculitis, rather than oil-clogged pores. However, as Elena tells us, “Shaving over breakouts can make them worse, as it can cause more inflammation and the spread of acne.” If you're particularly prone to post-shave spots, make sure you're using a top-notch razor and shaving cream combo—or you could always consider embracing your five o'clock shadow and investing in a beard trimmer. On the other side of the coin, if you're looking to clear up acne that you suspect is not related to shaving, opting for a trimmer over a razor could be a safer bet to avoid shaving the top of pimples and aggravating the skin.
What ingredients are best for fighting acne?
If you don't know your retinoids from your retinols, picking products with the most effective acne-clearing ingredients may seem daunting. According to Elena's expertise, acne treatments that contain the following will get you the best results:
- AHAs and BHAs (salicylic, glycolic and lactic acids)
- benzoyl peroxide
- niacinamide
- kaolin clay
It's advice seconded by Dr Yannis Alexandrides MD FACS of 111 Harley Street, who developed 111SKIN Clarity Collection in response to the rising levels of adult acne in a clinic. Among other high-performance ingredients, the line's Exfolactic cleanser contains lactic acid, which he tells us works to “eliminate excess sebum, with exfoliating properties that encourage cellular renewal to improve the texture of men’s skin.”
What are the best acne treatments for men?
From cleansers and toners to serums and moisturizers, our edit above is primed to maintain your skin at the healthy balance needed to keep breakouts at bay. Of course, acne comes in many different forms, and different types of acne respond best to certain types of treatments. For more severe acne, or if you have specific concerns such as cystic acne or hormonal acne, it can be worth consulting a medical professional to get access to some of the clinical treatments out there.
“It is very important to have professional advice on treatment in skin care from an aesthetician, or dermatologist. At early stages, professional treatments can be very effective and can prevent worsening conditions. Hydrafacial is a great treatment that can help with acne – it combines six treatments in one and includes painless extraction that helps to clean pores, as well as purifying and anti-inflammatory ingredients and LED light therapy.”
If your case is milder, there are plenty of acne-fighting creams and cleansers that are worth a try. To help you get the glowing, blemish-free, clear skin you deserve, we've tracked down the best acne products you can buy, from anti-inflammatory creams to acne-fighting acids.
How We Tested
Acne is a blight that many suffer from, and we're always on the hunt for opportunities to test and review new treatments, tinctures and creams to help soothe and cure any breakouts. To that end, we do genuinely use the products we review, and everything below has been used by our writers. Chief reviewer, Adrian Clark, is a titan of the men's grooming industry, helping GQ cover everything from moisturizers to top-quality fragrances for date night. Where he's been unable to test products himself, he's roped in friends who suffer similar facial issues to gather a wider collection of opinions.
Alongside this, Senior Commerce Writer Owen Gough has also been relieving acne and spots on his face, using each product for a minimum two-week review period.
This story originally appeared in British GQ.
