Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic Stress, hormonal imbalances, diet, weather etc all play a role in acne. Acne may also flare as a result of oily, greasy creams or sunscreens that one may be using. Besides, dairy products have also been implicated in acne due to the presence of bovine hormones. I would suggest that you keep your skin as clean as possible without over drying it. You should use a gentle cleanser for face wash e.g cetaphil cleansing lotion, rather than using soaps, face washes etc For active acne oral antibiotics e,g doxycycline OR azithromycin OR monicycline works best. They may be continued for 4-12 weeks depending on the severity of acne and the response to treatment. Topically you could use either clindamycin gel or benzoyl peroxide gel for day time use once or twice daily. For night application I would suggest a topical retinoid e.g Adapalene gel. Since acne is a recurrent condition up to a certain age, which may vary from individual to individual, therefore once you acne is brought under control you should still continue with the topical retinoid as retinoids are comedolytic as well as antiinflammatory and hence would prevent formation of new acne. Regards