Like a good many people I have been the victim of acne vulgaris (what an appropriate name for such a vulgar disease) the medical term for pimples.

My acne problem has made me aggravated, made me cry, and made me angry. Thousands of people each year are afflicted by an acne problem, and their acne problem makes recluses out of way too many teenagers and even adults.

Your acne problem is caused when your pores get clogged and the fatty material made by the sebaceous gland accumulates, and a "bump" appears under the skin-or perhaps a whitehead or a blackhead (a comedone).

Blackheads are not caused by dirt but by the discoloring effect of air on the fatty material in the clogged pore. If this substance becomes infected a pimple results.

That is the medical explanation for pimples but what people really want to know is "How do I get RID of my acne problem!?"

As anyone can tell you the worst thing to do is to push or "pop" a pimple. Because this will not only cause your acne problem to worsen, but can result in life long scars.

No matter what you see on TV or in movies and no matter what anyone in your family or what any friend tells you, DON'T pop that pimple.

I speak from personal experience, my acne problem was so bad I couldn't stand it so I popped pimples trying to be proactive in getting rid of them.

That is the wrong method to get involved in doing something to rid yourself of your acne problem. I am still paying for doing it by the scars that remain on my face.

The right way is a simple trick I learned that lessons acne dramatically:

Steam your face at night over a warm bowl of water for 20 minutes before retiring to bed (this should be after washing your face thoroughly with a gentle cleanser like Olay's or Neutragena's facial cloths)

And then massage one half a teaspoon of castor oil onto your face for about 1 minute, until your face is just lightly shiny.

This will help keep your pores open and prevent new pimples from forming (the steaming opens pores and helps get rid of old pimples).

In the morning you should wash your face again immediately after waking and steam face again for 20 more minutes.

After steaming your face in the morning splash your face with cold water and dry off.

Do this consistently every night and morning for optimal results in clearing up your acne problem.

Now that you are armed with this information put it to use tonight and watch the improvement as your acne problem fades and your skin begins to glow after just a short period of time.

About the author:

Beth Scott has been an acne sufferer since she was 13, the emphasis is on "has been". She now has clear, glowing skin and credits this mainly to Chris Gibson's Acne Free In 3 Days website.