Benzoyl peroxide fights against villainous bacteria known as P.acnes. It is widely used in topical medications for acne where it works by attacking and reducing the population of P.acnes bacteria on your skin. Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes is the bacteria which is mainly responsible for development of acne among people.Benzoyl peroxide exerts strong antibacterial action which helps to prevent redness and stops new acne from forming and clears up the skin.
Benzoyl peroxide not just fights with acne bacteria, but it also detects, uncover and removes dead skin cells that have blocked the pores. So, it clears out the pores. Moreover, it prevents acne comedones, which are primary contributors to acne formation, like whiteheads and blackheads by removing dead skin cells that promote clearer and smoother skin. In this article, we aim to understand the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide to heal the skin acne.
Effectiveness of Benzoyl Peroxide in reducing acne lesions and improving overall skin condition.
Acne Treatments Benzene:
In clinical practice, benzoyl peroxide is available in the form of gels, creams and face washes with strength ranging from from 2.5% to 10%. Antibiotics are not recommended for acne because P.acnes bacteria cannot be completely killed but resist upon these medications. However, benzoyl peroxide helps in sending oxygen into the skin to get rid of bacteria that cause pimples. In this way it works effectively rather than antibiotics.
Benzoyl peroxide helps a lot to make acne lesions go away because it fights the germs that cause them:
- Antibacterial Action:
Benzoyl peroxide kills Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes which causes acne. It helps to prevent formation of new acne lesions by reducing bacterial populations and inflammation on the skin.
- Clearing away dead skin and opens up blocked pores:
Benzoyl peroxide prevents the formation of sebum and dead skin cells which are known as comedones and whiteheads or blackheads. Thus it reduces the likelihood of development of acne by clearing out pores of affected skin.
3. Stops the formation of further Acne:
Benzoyl peroxide blocks the formation of new acne because it usually targets P.acnes bacteria.It then removes a protein called keratin that blocks the pores and causes acne.
4. Provides freshness to our Skin:
Benzoyl peroxide drains out dead skin cells and it encourages new ones to grow.
Steps to apply benzoyl peroxide on the skin:
- Wash Your Face:
First of all, it is important that you should wash your face with lukewarm water to remove any dirt, oil or makeup. Warm water opens up the pores on the affected areas of the face.
- Apply Benzoyl Peroxide:
Now put a small amount of benzoyl peroxide on the palm of your hands and then place the substance to cover the specific areas where you have acne.
Precautions:
You must not apply benzoyl peroxide near the sensitive organs such as the eye and lips.
- Wait for it to dry:
Benzoyl peroxide absorbs completely into your skin in a few minutes.
Precautions:
You must not apply other skincare products like moisturizers or makeup before the benzoyl peroxide dries.
- Moisturize:
Non comedogenic will keep your skin hydrated as benzoyl peroxide sometimes dries out your skin after its usage.So you need to apply it after benzoyl peroxide, but benzoyl peroxide should be dried.
- Apply Sunscreen:
It is highly recommended to apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. This is helpful to protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. It will also reduce the chances of premature aging among people. UVB rays cause damage to DNA when these rays enter the skin. These rays also produce sun spots on the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. Unfortunately, if UV rays penetrate deeper into skin, then it damages the skin’s immune system.
Note: You should reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more frequently if you’re swimming or sweating so that it will maintain effective sun protection throughout the day.
Is benzoyl peroxide safe for all skin types?
Benzoyl peroxide is not recommended for people with eczema.However, it is generally safe and effective to be applied on oily, sensitive and dry skin for treatment of acne. It’s important for people to start with lower concentrations of 2.5% or 5% of benzoyl peroxide and then the concentration may be gradually increased as tolerated.
Conclusion:
To conclude the above discussion, benzoyl peroxide is a widely used and effective treatment for acne all over the world.It is available mainly in gels and creams in cosmetics shops. It is adaptable to every type of skin whether it is dry or oily. People with sensitive skin should consult with their dermatologist to determine the best approach.