The essentials

If you have acne, it means you get spots. Lots of us have acne when we're teenagers. But it can affect older people too. Acne may appear briefly or last for many years. Very severe acne sometimes causes scarring, but treatment can help prevent this.

We've brought together the best research about acne and weighed up the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you.

In Brief