Benzoyl Peroxide
What is BenzoylPeroxide?
Benzoyl Peroxide is an ingredient that is used in many acne products. It is a popular ingredient because it removes the bacteria known as p.acnes that cause the red bumps and swelling on your skin, helping to clear your breakouts quickly.
Benzoyl Peroxide was originally used to bleach fabrics (that’s why you may find your towels fading when you use this ingredient!)
There have been many studies on Benzoyl Peroxide all indicating how good it is for killing the bacteriathat causes acne. It also works better than any antibiotic at killing the p.acnes, but what makes Benzoyl Peroxide special is that it produces oxygen (which p.acnes hate) and the bacteria never gets immune to Benzoyl Peroxide. This means that if Benzoyl Peroxide works for you it will continue to work.
Just by using Benzoyl Peroxide for twice a day for five days, studies have shown that the p.acnes will be reduced by 95% (no prescription antibiotic can begin to match the antibacterial effect of benzoyl peroxide).
Although Benzoyl Peroxide is great for acne, you cannot rely on this ingredient alone to be enough to reduce your breakouts, as it only kills the bacteria, it does not clog pores, it does not remove excess oil that means you need to use other products that work on the other triggers of acne at the same time to get clearer skin. Salicylic Acid is a great for unclogging pores, this allows the Benzoyl Peroxideto penetrate and kill off the bacteria. (There is also evidence that Benzoyl Peroxide may control excess oil production).
Dermalogica’s Special Clearing Booster contains 5% Benzoyl Peroxide and it is to be used as a spot treatment (placed directly on the breakout). Benzoyl Peroxide can be irritating for some skin types, and is best used as a spot treatment it can also make you more sensitive to the sun, so you must wear your sunscreen and reapply during the day.
It’s really important that you cleanse your skin correctly to allow active ingredients to penetrate the skin and work effectively, using something like dermalogica’s special cleansing gel will help to cleanse your skin with stripping it.
Acne can be terrible in fact one of the biggest causes of acne these days is from stress, allowing yourself to de-stress throughout the day, to take time out for yourself is very important, not only will it do you good but also your acne. Remember Benzoyl Perozide is not a cure for acne but it is one way to help reduce your breakouts that is proven to work. I don’t recommend using benzoyl peroxide all over your face, it’s too drying I have seen this so many times in my salons where they have used Benzoyl Peroxide all over there skin and they are sensitized, red, inflammed and there skin is so dry it’s flaking off in sheets.
It really is sad when i see people’s skins like this, as normally I find it’s teenagers and they so hopelessly want to improve there breakouts but because they have built up a reaction, all I can do is help them with the sensitivity of there skin and improve and strengthen the skin’s barrier (where all they want is there acne removed – which is understandable). Only after the skin is strong enough and calmed down can you begin to use acne products again
Anyway What’s Your Thoughts on Benzoyl Peroxide, Do you LOVE it? HATE it? Tell Me What you think or tell me your experiences with it and comment below, I love to hear what you think – Don’t Be Shy!!!!
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