Blast Stubborn Acne Away at Its Source With These Benzoyl Peroxide Treatments
Time to bring this classic skincare ingredient back into your routine.
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Want to overcome a breakout? You need to start by eliminating dead skin cells and unclogging oil-polluted pores. The key is benzoyl peroxide, which speeds up the process by using oxygen to detoxify pores and release sebum buildup.
"Benzoyl peroxide is the oldest and most trusted topical treatment for acne," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hilary Baldwin. "It works as monotherapy in milder and moderate acne and is used in combination with topical and oral antibiotics in more severe acne. It is a part of my treatment in virtually every patient."
So, how exactly does this zit-zapping ingredient work?
"Benzoyl peroxide kills the C. acnes bacterium that proliferates in the follicles of acne prone patients, causing the inflammatory response that we call acne," says Baldwin. "It is therefore also indirectly anti-inflammatory." She also notes that benzoyl peroxide is great for blasting away blackheads.
Here’s some good news: Whether you have whiteheads or cystic acne, Baldwin notes that all types of acne benefit from benzoyl peroxide, but it's especially great for inflammatory acne — red bumps and pustules.
"Patients who have only blackheads and whiteheads would do better with a topical retinoid like La Roche Posay’s Adapalene .1% Acne Treatment," she says. "I would recommend it to be used in combination with a benzoyl peroxide as the two drugs complement each other."
If you're ready to say goodbye to your worst breakouts for good, keep reading to see some of the most powerful benzoyl peroxide acne treatments and washes available online.
Jennifer is the former beauty editor for BestProducts.com, where she’s testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse. Her work has been featured in Allure, Byrdie, HelloGiggles, and more. When she’s not swatching eyeshadow all over her arms, you can find the NYC-based editor scouring for hours on end for vintage finds, eating pad thai, and hanging out with her cat, Chunks.
Ashley is the beauty and style editor at BestProducts.com, and her work has been featured on Cosmopolitan and Town and Country. She has an obsession with designer handbags, Liberty prints, 1960s fashion, and owns more shoes than she’s willing to admit. She's been using her learnings from owning a boutique and her shopping addiction for good since 2015. She’ll never accept that black isn’t a color. Away from the computer, you’ll likely find the Texas native binging on a British period drama or theorizing over Game of Thrones. She has yet to find a real cup of queso in NYC.
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