If you use a product containing benzoyl peroxide, it is best to wait until this product has been fully absorbed before applying a serum and/or moisturiser. Benzoyl peroxide works best when it has the chance to absorb into the skin first. This only takes a few seconds.
1 If you're just beginning with your benzoyl peroxide treatment, start using moisturizer now, even before you notice any uncomfortable dryness. You may be able to stave off the worst of it. If you've already succumbed to benzoyl peroxide-induced dryness and flakiness, slather on moisturizer as often as necessary.
“Do not use benzoyl peroxide with any other medicines that may have drying or irritating effects on your skin, including alcohol-based skincare products,” says Dr Saleki.
During the first 3 weeks you are using benzoyl peroxide, your skin may become irritated. Also, your acne may seem to get worse before it gets better. If your skin problem has not improved within 4 to 6 weeks, check with your doctor.
Its enduring popularity goes beyond its availability and affordability — benzoyl peroxide can help treat inflammatory acne lesions and related scarring. It's most helpful when used together with other treatments, such as topical retinoids.
When creating an acne treatment plan, dermatologists sometimes include a moisturizer. Acne can cause your skin to feel oily and greasy, so a moisturizer may be the last thing you'd think of trying. A moisturizer, however, may be just what you need if you're using one of the following acne treatments: Benzoyl peroxide.
But for an occasional breakout, there's an effective way to tame it at home. The best way to make a zit go away fast is to apply a dab of benzoyl peroxide, which you can buy at a drug store in cream, gel or patch form, says Shilpi Khetarpal, MD. It works by killing bacteria that clogs pores and causes inflammation.
This treats existing acne and may help prevent new spots. It works best when you use it regularly. Benzoyl peroxide usually takes about 4 weeks to start working. It can take up to 2 to 4 months for the treatment to have its full effect.
Benzoyl peroxide is often used in acne treatments due to its antimicrobial properties. It also has a drying effect, so it is effective at minimizing oily build-up in the pores.
Benzoyl peroxide works in two ways: it kills the bacteria that help cause acne, and it has a drying effect that makes it easier to wash away excess oils and dirt. As it does help unclog pores, it might be what you're looking for!
Using benzoyl peroxide topically will give you even-looking skin tone due to its bleaching properties. With regular use, it might also make your skin appear brighter.
Don't pop or squeeze pus-filled pimples
You can cause the bacteria to spread and the inflammation to worsen.
That can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollen and infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring. "It's best to let a pimple run through its life span," Rice says. Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
If bacteria living on the skin also become stuck in the follicle, this can cause inflammation and infection. White blood cells flow in to fight infection, and, as a result, dead white blood cells, bacteria, and other debris form pockets of pus. Pus filled pimples do not reflect an individual's cleanliness.
If you over-moisturize, the leftover moisturizer just sits on your face. With nowhere to go, this extra moisturizer will eventually fill up the pores on your skin and clog them, resulting in the production of acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.
"Heavier lotions and creams can worsen congestion of pores and lead to increased oil production that can exacerbate acne breakouts," Dr. Hartman said. "The label should say oil-free or non-comedogenic to be sure."
Do not take clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel with moisturizer cream by mouth. Use on your skin only. Keep out of your mouth, nose, and eyes (may burn). If you get clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel with moisturizer cream in any of these areas, rinse well with water.
Pus, a thick, white substance made up of bacteria and white blood cells, sometimes fills the pimple.
Pustules are what most people think of as a zit: Red and inflamed with a white head at the center. The stuff you squeeze out of them is pus, which contains dead white blood cells.
'You should absolutely not squeeze blackheads. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin,' she says. Squeezing a spot can push the inflammation deeper and this can cause scarring of the skin.
When to Pop, and When to Stop
If your pimple has a white or yellow head, it's prime for the popping. “At that point, it is OK to extract because the bump is very superficial to the surface of the skin,” says Lee.
Most blackheads are close enough to the skin's surface to attempt safe removal. If you've tried to remove a blackhead and the blockage won't come out, leave it alone for a day or two. In most cases, your skin will clear the blockage on its own if you give it time.
So the pimple simply explodes by itself, because of the huge pressure inside the pimple. This pressure explosion results in damaged and scared skin. Certainly, it is likely that it will cause a red mark on the skin, as you probably get a small wound, which will become a scar.
If you've ever struggled with acne, you may have tried benzoyl peroxide to zap it. And even though products containing this ingredient warn that it may bleach fabric, you still always learn the hard way yourself.
Benzoyl peroxide is good for all types of acne, including cysts, blackheads and whiteheads, but it's particularly great at treating inflammatory cystic acne.