Safety

Choosing any acne product is largely the result of accepting the instructions of the dermatologist that provides the prescription, or alternatively of accepting the claims of the television or print advertising that attests to the safety of the product. A product that is prescribed or offered for sale in the United States can be assumed to have passed the rigorous testing standards of the United States Food and Drug Administration. This defines such things as whether the product has been manufactured according to rigid safety procedures and whether the expected usage will be safe for individuals using it according to instructions.

Ingredient Quality

An acne product offered for sale, aside from the safety standards above, can be expected to contain only ingredients that are of the highest quality.  Ingredients used in acne medication, or any other medication, for that matter, are tested and retested in the manufacturing process.  Most consumers do not even stop to consider whether the medications they take contain only quality products; they trust that the standards of production, testing and quality control put in place by the manufacturer and by the regulatory agencies of the U.S. government are enough to allow taking the product without worry.

Side Effects

Another factor upon which an acne product might be judged is that of the side effects that are created when the product is correctly used.  Obviously there may be some untoward effects if a product is used in ways or in amounts that are not according to instructions, but if it is used correctly and still has effects that are troublesome potentially dangerous, those symptoms should be noted so that they can be taken into consideration. Perhaps side effects will include excessive skin dryness or nausea or some other factors. Potential side effect information is usually included in the standard set of warning that come with the product labeling.

Effectiveness to Fight Acne

An acne product must be effective in fighting the scourge of acne lesions, scarring and pain. if clinical trials for a medication have been successfully completed, it is assumed that the product is effective or it would not be on the market, but not every product will be effective for every individual who is fighting acne. There may be levels of effectiveness that the victim of acne will need to be aware of before giving up completely on the product. The acne sufferers who don't see immediate results may be tempted to increase the dosage of the product and end up doing damage of another sort rather than showing improvement in the symptoms of acne.

User Satisfaction

Another way to measure an acne product is by the user satisfaction exhibited by those who are using the product. Satisfaction is not so much whether or not the product works, but whether the victim of acne is satisfied with the overall aspects of taking or using the product.  For example, the product may be completely effective in reducing or eliminating the visible signs of acne, but it may be uncomfortable or unpleasant to use for some reason.  This product is not going to have as high a rating for customer satisfaction.