Benzoyl Peroxide and Acne

Benzoyl peroxide comes in prescription and over-the-counter medications, in cream, gel. Benzoyl peroxide is an anti-bacterial agent.

Benzoyl peroxide kills P. Acnes, the bacteria that causes acne. Also, there is a mild drying and peeling effect which is thought to help prevent breakouts.

About 3% of people are allergic to benzoyl peroxide and experience an inflammation of the skin.
Benzoyl peroxide may bleach hair or fabric.

The OTC (Over the Counter Medications) which have BenzoIl Peroxide in it's ingredients:

Clear Skin Regimen Gel, Neutrogena On-the-Spot, Clearasil, Oxy-10 Fostex, Clear by Design, Persa-Gel

09 October 2006, 10:08

Admin

Here is some interesting information on Benzoyl peroxide:
Benzoyl peroxide, like most peroxides, is a powerful bleaching agent. Contact with fabric (including clothing and bed linens) or hair can cause permanent color dampening almost immediately. At high concentrations, benzoyl peroxide is highly flammable and explosive and should be handled with care.
Other use for benzoyl peroxide are:
dyeing hair, and as an active ingredient in teeth whitening systems. It is also used in the preparation of flour, and can be used as an initiator and catalyst for polyester thermoset resins (as an alternative to the much more hazardous methyl ethyl ketone peroxide).
Benzoyl peroxide breaks down in contact with skin, producing benzoic acid and oxygen, neither of which are significantly toxic.
When applied to skin benzoyl peroxide has been shown to induce cancer, but only when used at 100% concentrations; it has not been shown to do this at the far lower concentrations used for treating acne, and at lower concentrations Benzoyl Peroxide has been found not to be mutagenic or carcinogenic.
Benzoyl peroxide removes the top layer of skin, which also decreases the sun protective effect (roughly SPF 3). This can cause sunburn and premature aging if sun protection is not worn. If sun protection is used, benzoyl peroxide has a similar effects to glycolic acid peels which are so-called anti-aging treatments.
When used, particularly close to the eye region, a wrinkling effect can be evident. This is merely dry skin and goes away completely a few weeks after the product is discontinued.
For more information on Benzoyl peroxide visit http://answers.com

16 October 2006, 12:37

Benzoyl peroxide

Hi,
I have been using Benzoyl peroxide for about 4 weeks now and its worked better then most other products. I would like to continue using it but I red on some websites that it could be a cancer promoter. Now I know these tests have been done on animals and VERY HIGH doses of benzoyl peroxide had been used over a period of probably years. Should I stop using it?

Steve, Madrid Spain

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