Epiduo

Prescription vs. Non-Prescription Acne Treatment

Are you one of the many people who suffer from a mild to moderate case of acne? The fact is that, unless you have a severe case, non-prescription treatments are almost always the best way to go. Visits to the dermatologist can be very costly and time-consuming, plus they often try several different medications before finding one that works best for you. There are many high quality acne treatments on the market that do not require a prescription and when you find the right one, you can clear up your skin completely. Basically, unless you suffer from severe acne breakouts, we suggest you search the internet for the cheapest, most effective acne solutions available.

What is Epiduo?

Epiduo is a prescription-strength acne treatment gel that is designed specifically for mild to moderate cases of acne. It combines two common ingredients found in topical acne creams and puts them together, claiming that when combined, these ingredients are proven to be even more effective. It is surprising that they require a prescription for Epiduo, given the mild nature of its active components. They Epiduo website claims it will only reduce blemishes by up to 18%, which does not seem like a significant amount. Many other products – even ones that do not require a prescription – can reduce breakouts and blemishes by 50% or more!

How Does Epiduo Work?

We took a closer look at the ingredients found in Epiduo to try to get a good estimate of its potential for effectiveness. Here are the active ingredients we found:

• Benzoyl Peroxide: Actively kills breakout-causing bacteria and eases inflammation by drying out harmful oils. Can lead to skin irritation and redness.
• Adapalene: Clears out clogged pores (helps remove blackheads, whiteheads, and zits) and prevents new breakouts from forming, but is also largely responsible for harmful side effects associated with Epiduo.

These ingredients are commonly found in acne treatment creams, but not usually together. The makers of Epiduo insist that they are more effective when combined into one gel, but the logic there seems a bit off.

Is Epiduo Worth a Try?

Unfortunately, it seems the negatives significantly outweigh the positives with Epiduo. It is likely that this treatment gel can help people reduce the presence of blemishes by 10-15% in most cases. Such a limited potential for results does not justify the high cost of this product. In addition to expenses associated with visiting a dermatologist, it costs at least $35 to get a prescription of Epiduo. We have reviewed acne treatments that are much more powerful and cost a lot less. Plus, many of these superior products are backed by satisfaction guarantees, so you can be sure you are making a sound investment. The Epiduo website makes no mention of any such guarantee, and if it fails to work for you, you are probably stuck with a product that does not work. The limited potential benefits of using Epiduo simply do not outweigh the cost and we suggest you look to a different product to clear up your acne.