Benzoyl Peroxide for Acne: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses

If you’ve ever had to deal with acne, benzoyl peroxide has definitely popped up on your radar. Benzoyl peroxide is actually classified as an over-the-counter drug, which means it has been proven to work as a medication for light to moderate acne. For me, benzoyl peroxide has been one of the few effective preventatives for hormonal and stress-related breakouts.

With all this in mind, benzoyl peroxide also has a bad reputation as a harsh ingredient that can cause dryness and irritation to the skin. A lot of people caution against using it, saying that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits of benzoyl peroxide.

We’ll examine these statements and talk about the side effects of BP, so you can decide for yourself whether it seems like benzoyl peroxide products are right for you. We’ll also explain exactly how benzoyl peroxide works, and how it compares to other acne remedies. We’ll give you the lowdown on exactly how to use benzoyl peroxide products so that you can avoid getting dry or irritated.

What Is benzoyl peroxide and how does it work?

Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most popular and effective acne treatments on the market. This fascinating ingredient is a type of peroxide that is able to penetrate past the top layers of the stratum corneum and into the pore. Once benzoyl peroxide has penetrated the skin, it releases oxygen, which kills the acne bacteria that cause the inflammation in the first place.

At the same time, benzoyl peroxide is also keratolytic, which means it promotes exfoliation in the skin by helping dead skin cells shed themselves. This helps unclog the pores, which is another element in acne production.

It is also said that benzoyl peroxide can reduce oil production and act as an anti-inflammatory to reduce redness and swelling, but unfortunately these claims have not been fully substantiated. However, many products that contain benzoyl peroxide also contain some anti-inflammatory ingredients, so you can still enjoy those benefits.

What are the benefits of benzoyl peroxide?

• Very simply, benzoyl peroxide is an acne-buster. If you deal with any type of acne breakouts, you definitely want to consider benzoyl peroxide as a candidate for eliminating them and preventing them from coming back.
• Benzoyl peroxide can be used in conjunction with oral antibiotics, as it can help prevent antibiotic resistance.
• Benzoyl peroxide acts very quickly, and applying it to the skin is very simple.
• As a mild exfoliant, benzoyl peroxide can prevent the skin cell build-up that clogs pores.

Possible Benzoyl Peroxide Side Effects You Should Know About

While this list may seem long, be aware that most of the benzoyl peroxide side effects are mild, temporary, unlikely to occur, or will only show up if you don’t use it correctly. I explain all of these nuances as I talk about these side effects one by one.

Skin Irritation

Benzoyl peroxide has the potential to irritate the skin, causing it to become red, tingly, or raw to the touch. This can occur with any powerful skincare active, which is why it is important to patch test it on a small area of thin skin somewhere else on the body, like the forearm.

If severe irritation occurs instantly, avoid using benzoyl peroxide. If it happens after continuous use, you can simply reduce how often you use it.

Skin Dryness

Due to its skin-peeling effect, as well as because it’s sometimes formulated in very harsh gels, benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness in the skin. Moisturizing is usually enough to prevent any dryness from benzoyl peroxide, although if it persists, then either reducing how often you use it or using it with a buffer (i.e. applying moisturizer or hydrating serum first, followed by benzoyl peroxide) should work.

Skin Photosensitivity

If you are a fan of the sun, you’d better load up on sunscreen. Benzoyl peroxide increases the skin’s sensitive to the sun, so it absolutely must be used in conjunction with a good sunscreen. As long as you wear sunscreen and regularly re-apply it, you shouldn’t have to worry – just be aware and be careful.

BP Acts Like Bleach

Benzoyl peroxide is a type of peroxide, which means it can act like bleach. Be careful when using benzoyl peroxide products near your hair or eyebrows, and expect that if you have it on your skin when you go to bed it might rub on your pillowcases or sheets, giving them bleach stains. Be careful to wash your hands after applying BP, to prevent traces of it bleaching your towels.

Premature Aging

Benzoyl peroxide is a pro-oxidant, and it is the oxygen that kills the acne. It is possible that the pro-oxidant effect could also cause free radical damage to the skin itself, and end up slightly increasing your chances of premature aging.

Because of this, it is important to use benzoyl peroxide in conjunction with moisturizers or serums that are rich in antioxidants like green tea extract, vitamin C, vitamin E, and many other natural extracts and oils.

Can pregnant women use benzoyl peroxide products?

During pregnancy many women find themselves suddenly starting to break out with hormonal acne. It hasn’t been established that using benzoyl peroxide during pregnancy is safe, but there is also no evidence suggesting that it might be unsafe.

Some sources say it is safe to use, since very little is actually absorbed by the body, and so it is very unlikely that it will have an effect on the fetus. On the hand, other sources say that it is best to avoid the risk and to not use benzoyl peroxide during pregnancy. If you are unsure it is best to speak to your doctor.

How to choose benzoyl peroxide acne treatments?

Benzoyl peroxide has been proven to help clear acne from the skin, but the percentage doesn’t actually matter too much. There is no evidence that 10% will work better than 5% or 2.5%. Because of this, it is usually recommended to start at a low percentage of benzoyl peroxide, and to only go to a higher concentration if the lower one doesn’t work.

I think it makes the most sense to start with a benzoyl peroxide lotion. Lotions, especially the ones on my recommendation list of the best benzoyl peroxide products, tend to be creamier and to include moisturizing ingredients.

This is a good idea because benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin, which is not helpful for any skin type because it can also lead to irritation. If you suffer from acne, and your skin is not extremely oily, definitely opt for a benzoyl peroxide lotion.

If you have extremely oily skin, you might prefer benzoyl peroxide gels. Gels tend to be less moisturizing to the skin, and they never contain comedogenic ingredients.

While for most the moisturizing ingredients are good, some people break out very easily with any emollient ingredients. In that case, opt for a gel that also has a very short ingredient list, as too many ingredients means too many things that might break you out.

Lastly, there are benzoyl peroxide cleansers. I don’t recommend many benzoyl peroxide cleansers because they don’t tend to be as effective as products that are left on the skin.

However, for those with very sensitive skin, benzoyl peroxide cleansers might actually be a good option, since the benzoyl peroxide doesn’t stay on the skin for too long so it doesn’t have much time to irritate the skin.

If you do choose to try a benzoyl peroxide cleanser, make sure to let it sit on your skin for a minute or two before rinsing it away, so the BP gets a bit of time to work.

How to Use Benzoyl Peroxide