Early morning school bus pick-ups, evenings of homework, sleep-away camps and burgeoning social activities make simple, easily portable skincare regimes a must for teenage acne sufferers. Perhaps that's why many of them fall into the trap of purchasing Proactiv, a mail order acne system that contains the same ingredients as the over-the-counter acne remedies in your local drugstore, but is far more expensive and often irritating to the skin.

If you wish to try over-the-counter acne products first, Neutrogena has a line that, while not endorsed by the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson, is reasonably priced although it may be too drying for some skins. A major advantage of prescription acne treatment is that it can be individualized for oily, dry or sensitive skins.