There's two main acne medications. First is the Benzoyl peroxide, second being salicylic acid. The real difference in the two is that the Benzoyl peroxide addresses the acne bacteria to the core and it kills it. Salicylic acid is great for keeping your pores clear, but it doesn't kill the bacteria. Another great aspect of Benzoyl peroxide is that is going to control your oil; it's going to balance your skin. So if you have very oily skin, it's a huge factor in acne; it's going to help control that as well as kill the bacteria.