Does Benzoyl Peroxide work?

Emmala

teaandcakeordeath wrote: »

Hi Barny. Like Cheryl I use the acne.org regime but I haven't bought any of the products from the website. I do the following regimen http://www.acne.org/regimen.html with these products:

Morning & night:
Cetaphil face wash (it's like a cream cleanser that you can use with water or with cotton wool- about £10.00 from boots and lasts forever http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EndecaSearchListerView?storeId=10052&langId=-1&catalogId=11051&stReq=1&searchTerm=cetaphil&newDepSearch=&x=0&y=0#container )
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (you can buy this over the counter from a chemist in the UK- don't bother with 'clearasil etc. as they're more expensive, contain fragrance and you get less product- from the chemist it should cost no more than £4.00)
Cetaphil moisturiser- again about £10.00, lasts ages, isn't massively greasy and helps to prevent the dryness from the benzoyl peroxide.

I do this morning and night and I'm now far less prone to the spots I used to suffer with on my chin and cheeks. (probably about 5-10 spots per months instead of per week).

In my experience (as someone who ramped up to 10% benzoyl peroxide straight away...) less is more effective- 10% is pretty harsh (and bleaching too)- it made my skin very red, cracked and dry whereas I've never had that from the 2.5%. I'd avoid anything like clearasil and just go for gentle- slightly acidic based cleansers as they match your skin and don't strip it (forcing it to produce more oil and more spots...)

Hope that helps!

Do you find/think that the Cetaphil would take make-up off as well?? I don't wear tons of make up but concealer and powder everyday, maybe foundation if I need a bit more coverage.

poorly_scammo

You have to work out why you're getting the spots OP.

I get spots because I'm allergic to citrus foods and as a result I get spots on my forehead and chin.

This might not be applicable to you but I'm using it as an illustration as to why some of us get spots in the first place.

You may also need to analyse the spots themselves. Are they full of pus (yellowy stuff) or are they like blisters?

There are numerous reasons as to why adults who have otherwise 'normal' skin get spots and therefore you have to find out why. I recommend keeping a food diary and I'd also be looking at what ingredients are in your cleaning products. Are they too harsh possibly?

Barny1979

They usually have pus in them

teaandcakeordeath

rae18 wrote: »

Do you find/think that the Cetaphil would take make-up off as well?? I don't wear tons of make up but concealer and powder everyday, maybe foundation if I need a bit more coverage.

I wear some concealer, smashbox's loose white silica setting powder (brilliant for getting rid of shiny faces- though any silica powder does the same like ELF's hd setting powder) and mascara and I find that it does get my make-up off. You might find that you have to use a muslin cloth (like a hot cloth cleanse) to get foundation off or wash twice. I've never noticed make-up residue using it though and I sometimes wear foundation. It's incredibly gentle so using it twice and double cleansing won't trash your skin.

JC9297

teaandcakeordeath wrote: »

Hi Barny. Like Cheryl I use the acne.org regime but I haven't bought any of the products from the website. I do the following regimen http://www.acne.org/regimen.html with these products:

Morning & night:
Cetaphil face wash (it's like a cream cleanser that you can use with water or with cotton wool- about £10.00 from boots and lasts forever http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EndecaSearchListerView?storeId=10052&langId=-1&catalogId=11051&stReq=1&searchTerm=cetaphil&newDepSearch=&x=0&y=0#container )
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (you can buy this over the counter from a chemist in the UK- don't bother with 'clearasil etc. as they're more expensive, contain fragrance and you get less product- from the chemist it should cost no more than £4.00)
Cetaphil moisturiser- again about £10.00, lasts ages, isn't massively greasy and helps to prevent the dryness from the benzoyl peroxide.

I do this morning and night and I'm now far less prone to the spots I used to suffer with on my chin and cheeks. (probably about 5-10 spots per months instead of per week).

In my experience (as someone who ramped up to 10% benzoyl peroxide straight away...) less is more effective- 10% is pretty harsh (and bleaching too)- it made my skin very red, cracked and dry whereas I've never had that from the 2.5%. I'd avoid anything like clearasil and just go for gentle- slightly acidic based cleansers as they match your skin and don't strip it (forcing it to produce more oil and more spots...)

Hope that helps!

Do you mean you are able to buy generic BP 2.5%? Which chemists have you been able to get it from?

teaandcakeordeath

Most recently I bought it from boots but I have got it from Lloyds chemist and Rowlands chemists too- not sure if these are national companies? You can also get it on prescription if you're not able to get it OTC.

cherylsurrey

I use Panoxyl Benzoyl peroxide 2.5 percent which I get from my local chemist, I agree with teacakeordeath, some of the creams with a higher dose such as 10% are too harsh, I find the 2.5 percent works just fine. Use really mild products on your skin, less is more. I started by using the cream at night only for a month, then morning and night after that so my skin got used to it.

I am also a fan of silica powder, it has been a miracle for my oily skin, I use the RMS Beauty brand, it's color free and light on the skin.


As for looking into the reason you get spots, I think it's genetic my mother was just the same. As for my diet, I am a healthy vegetarian eating a clean diet and I still got spots.