Prescription drugs definitely work.

But before you resort to that, do you have some sort of daily skin regimen? My boyfriend used to have awful acne and, occasionally, he still has breakouts when stressed or upset. But his skin is often in good order as long as he keeps with some habits he got into when treating his acne a few years ago.

In the morning (often in the shower) he'll use Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash with Salicylic Acid to curb oiliness during the day. In the evening he'll use a scrub (I gave him Freeman's Totally Juicy Apricot Pore Scrub) to get rid of dead skin cells and clear pores. Finally, about once a week, after using the scrub, he'll use Queen Helene's mint julep masque to get rid of, again, the oiliness and smooth his skin. Great, inexpensive products and a lot less hassle than the blood tests that often accompany intensive acne treatment drugs.