You probably wont believe this, but if youre serious about getting rid of acne, you need a strategy. Yet most acne sufferers fail to answer four key questions that could save them a ton of time and money when it comes to getting clearer skin.

Save yourself a load of acne agony by answering these four questions before you start any acne treatment:

1. How much will the acne treatment cost and how often do I have to use the treatment?

2. When can I expect to see visible results and will I be patient enough to wait that long?

3. Will my skin stay clear even after I stop the treatment?

4. What are the acne treatment side effects?

1. How much will the acne treatment cost and how often do I have to use the treatment?

Whether youre filling an acne prescription, buying herbal supplements, or using a skin care regimen, cost is a major consideration before using any acne treatment. Prescriptions for acne like clindamycin phosphate or Accutane (isotretinoin) can range from $10 $300 per month, and if you insurance company doesnt cover this fee, youll have to pay it all yourself.

Herbal supplements may not prove any more economical choice since some vitamins that boast anti-acne properties can cost as much as $40 per month. Then again acne facial treatments, which usually arrive in tiny bottles, can cost in excess of $60 a month.

At first, most acne sufferers wait anxiously for clear skin and abandon treatments before the acne disappears. This wastes time and money. Yet dermatologist Hilary E. Baldwin sees this behavior often enough to get vexed with patients who reappear every 6-9 months back to square one because they did not consistently use their acne prescriptions.

Even if you can afford your acne treatment, you must ask yourself if youre willing to follow the guidelines and use the product daily, or several times a day as recommended.

2. When can you expect to see visible results and will you be patient enough to wait that long?

If you have acne now, patience with your skin probably isnt only your list of virtues. But with most acne treatments, the skin will not improve for the first 4 weeks of therapy, and dramatic improvements appear after 8-12 weeks.

Typically, topical treatments for acne, like benzoyl peroxide, tazarotene and retinol, can provide faster visible results that most internal acne treatments like azithromycin, or other antibiotics.

3. Will my skin stay clear even after I stop the treatment?

Topical acne treatments do not permanently limit the excess oil secretion by the pores or increase the cell turnover rate of the skin- two actions that help prevent the development of acne. So, unless you use drugs or alter your internal chemistry via natural methods, you would need to use topical agents for an indefinite amount of time to control your acne.

4. What are the acne treatment side effects?

The manufacturer of prescription drugs and acne herbal supplement or vitamin provides a detailed list of possible side effects. Users of acne drugs like isotretinoin and antibiotics have sited depression and nausea as side effects. Potential side effects from herbal supplements also include indigestion and stomach irritation. If youre a women using oral contraceptives to combat acne, you may experience bloating and nausea.

In short, whether your get your acne treatment from Tibetan healer or your dermatologist, be upfront about your financial situation, your patience level and willingness to change your daily habits. Otherwise, you could spend years from acne treatment to acne treatment and never see any visible results.