What
is Benzoyl
Peroxide?
Benzoyl Peroxide is a white
powder with a chemical formula of (C6H5CO)O2. The
chemical is known by many other names, with the
more common ones including:
Benzoic acid
Benzol Peroxide
Benzaknen
Desanden
Benzoyl
Superoxide
Benzoyl Peroxide has been used
for treating acne for over 50 years. A very large
percentage of both over the counter and
prescription based topical acne treatments
contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide.
The concentrations vary, but are usually found to
be in the range of between two and a half and ten
percent. This is a clear indication that Benzoyl
Peroxide is widely accepted as an effective
treatment for acne vulgaris.
This acceptance is backed up by
scientific research which has been used to
demonstrate that topical treatments with
concentrations of up to 10 percent benzoyl
peroxide are effective in the reduction or
removal of acne lesions. The normal timescale for
this topical acne treatment to work is between
three to twelve weeks.
A topical acne treatment is a
treatment that is applied directly to the
affected area, using a cream, gel or wash, rather
than being taken internally or
injected.
Increased concentrations of
benzoyl peroxide, whilst reducing or curing acne
do also however; appear to raise the likelihood
of some adverse reactions, such as skin dryness
or redness and occasional peeling or flaking of
the skin.
There is a some evidence that the
frequent use of Benzoyl Peroxide at
concentrations of two and a half percent are
effective at treating acne but reduce the
likelihood of an adverse skin reaction to the
chemical. In addition, a number of studies have
shown that just using benzoyl peroxide to treat
acne may not be the most effective use. Use of a
combination treatment containing benzoyl peroxide
and other active ingredients may actually
increase its effectiveness in reducing or curing
acne lesions.
How does Benzoyl Peroxide help to
cure acne?
Benzoyl peroxide helps to cure
acne by breaking down dead cells on the surface
of the skin. This helps to unblock the sebaceous
glands. This in turn, allows the sebum that the
sebaceous glands secrete, to escape, rather than
become trapped in the pores. Benzoyl peroxide
also helps to kill the bacteria that feed on the
sebum and cause the blockages in the first place,
thus it helps with all the areas that can cause
or exacerbate acne.
In conclusion, Benzoyl Peroxide
is a widely used and effective topical treatment
for acne vulgaris. It works as the single active
ingredient, but is frequently combined with other
active ingredients to provide more effective acne
treatments, both over the counter and via
prescription.
