Everything You Know About Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide's a huge, huge topical medication. Yes! You'll find it in OTC gels, cleansers, and lotions. The OTC products can have up to 10% of this ingredient. That said, they're more likely to have 5%. Prescriptions give you the stronger versions of benzoyl peroxide, men. Prescriptions even include other meds, like antibiotics!
One of the most common treatments for acne is a clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide topical gel. This prescription tackles acne really, really well! Men, remember the OTC treatments with benzoyl peroxide. In the end, though, it's obvious. So obvious. You've got to understand how this one works to get the best benzoyl peroxide product for your needs!
How It Works
Men, you've got to know how benzoyl peroxide works. It works so very, very well. It does! It's going to kill bad bacteria on your skin. Yes! It'll tackle Cutibacterium acnes. This bacteria's a huge, huge cause of acne. Men, your skin's going to absorb this ingredient. It'll turn it into benzoic acid. You'll absorb about 5% of this and get rid of it through your kidneys as pee! Men, the other 95% is what cysteine metabolizes. The result? Yes, you guessed it: bacteria protein oxidization! It does even more, men. It'll reduce lipids and free fatty acids in your skin too. Benzoyl peroxide also helps with granulation tissue growth!
Best Uses
Benzoyl peroxide's so great at treating acne. So great! Men, you'll see this ingredient in OTC cleanser and spot treatments. Both tackle mild acne. Hold up, though. When you've got severe acne, you can get this one as a prescription! You'll often see it combined with antibiotics or retinoids. Many, many of you will see great changes with benzoyl peroxide. It'll make your breakouts stop coming as much, and they won't be nearly as bad when they do pop up. Men, you know these benefits take up to 10 weeks to set in. Get ready!
Yes, it treats acne. But men, there are some 'off-label' uses too, like for rosacea and folliculitis. Docs say this one also helps pitted keratolysis and perforating diseases. Men, just review the benefits and risks with your doc first. They'll tell you why they're recommending this med. Your doc knows when it's the best and safest choice for you!
Side Effects
Sad. Benzoyl peroxide's got some side effects! Men, you know about them. You'll see dry skin, red skin, and flaky skin most of the time. Peeling skin's going to happen to some of you too! Many, many men get these side effects when starting benzoyl peroxide. Yes, in the first few weeks! They're more likely when it's a higher percentage.
Men, this one also triggers things like redness, burning, and itching right when you apply it. The good news? It goes away in a minute or two. Obviously, though, some side effects mean you've got to call your doc. These ones are blisters, bad redness, and lots of skin irritation. Men, make this call when you get signs of an allergic reaction, like hives, lip swelling, and trouble breathing. The best news, though, is that these reactions are rare. So rare!
Precautions
Don't get ahead of yourselves. Men, you've got to start benzoyl peroxide slowly! That's how you avoid lots of the side effects. Men, you know what to do. Use your product every other day for a couple weeks. Apply moisturizer a lot to help your skin adjust! You've also got the option of applying moisturizer before a benzoyl peroxide spot treatment. That's called buffering! After a couple of weeks, you can use benzoyl peroxide every day.
Slather on sunscreen, men. This med makes you a lot more sensitive to the sun! Don't let your skin burn; it's not pretty that way. And men? Protect your clothes! Put them on before you reach for benzoyl peroxide. Wash your hands with soap and water right after you're done applying it. This med stains fabrics, so it can't touch anything when it's wet. Nothing!
Medication Interactions
Yes, you knew this was on its way. Benzoyl peroxide has med interactions! Men, go over all your current meds with your doc. Talk about the ingredients in skincare products you use! They'll help you pick out the best combos and avoid lots of nasty interactions. Here are some examples of the meds that this one interacts with: dapsone, tretinoin, adapalene, and trifarotene. Benzoyl peroxide also doesn't mix well with isotretinoin.
All of these are acne treatments! Some of them mean increased side effects. Dapsone and benzoyl peroxide, though? They'll turn your skin a little orange for a bit. Not fun! Men, your doc's going to tell you when you can use these meds together, but at different times. They'll adjust your doses or give you alternative meds and treatments too! You'll win in the end.