Fight Pimples & Blackheads: Benzoyl Peroxide
Acne medications like Benzoyl Peroxide are over-the-counter treatments that help you fight unclear skin. It can be found in various gels, soaps and lotions. We tell you about the side-effects and how it works.
Benzoyl peroxide is an antibacterial agent used to treat acne infections. It is the most popular over-the-counter acne medication and has been used to help many patients get rid of their breakouts over the last few years. Whoever came up with benzoyl peroxide as an acne cure deserves a medal. There probably has not been a single chemical or procedure that revolutionized the way acne has been treated as much as this single ingredient.
Popular anti-acne brands like Clearasil, Neutrogena and PanOxyl all count on benzoyl peroxide as their main ingredient. They are also used in alternative forms such as soaps, face masks and lotions.
How it Works
Benzoyl peroxide takes care of acne in all its forms. It works, first and foremost, by killing the bacteria responsible for producing acne. It dries and peels off skin, removing dead skin-cells. It helps clear all acne-related affliction including clearing blocked follicles, healing infected papules and removing blackheads and whiteheads.
You should apply benzoyl peroxide over acne lesions and spread it out along skin areas filled with non-inflammatory comedones. If your acne has cleared but you continue to be prone to infection, you can apply a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide nightly to help prevent future breakouts. Most people apply benzoyl peroxide creams by spreading a thin layer around the skin and leaving it on for 10 minutes. After washing it off, the medicine is applied to individual lesions and left on.
Side-Effects
Unlike antibiotics or other acne medications, benzoyl peroxide has no long-term side effects. Short-term, benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness of the treated area. Mild irritation may be experienced during the first week or two of use, but disappear once the skin gets used to the treatment. If irritation persists, you can use a light moisturizer or try opting for a lower strength of benzoyl peroxide.