Equate Acne Pads Maximum Strength By Jennifer Claerr on Feb 09, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

We began to purchase Equate Acne Pads Maximum Strength when my tweenaged son began to break out on his face. I am also susceptible to acne, so having the Equate Acne Pads came in handy. These pads contain a 2% solution of salicylic acid. The little cotton pads inside are fairly rough to the touch. They also caused my skin to burn very badly if I went over my face more than once. They seem to be fairly effective, and are easy for my son and myself to use. The primary problem I have had is that the pads are so drying that I can hardly use them. I have also noted that my son's face tends to become very dry, chapped and to develop peeling skin when he uses the Equate Acne Pads.

One time when the Equate Acne Pads were not available, my husband purchased Stridex Alcohol Free Maximum Strength Acne Pads. He preferred the Equate Acne Pads because he liked the more abrasive pads, and he also found that the Stridex Acne Pads contains some strong perfume. Also, the Stridex Acne Pads appeared to contain some sort of lubricant which he felt reduced the effectiveness. However, this gel may help you if you have sensitive skin. My husband reported that the Equate Acne Pads were more effective and got up more dirt off his face. When I used the Stridex Acne Pads, I found that they were much less harsh than the Equate Acne Pads. They did not cause excessive burning and drying to my extremely sensitive skin.