Benzoyl peroxide will usually start to work within 4 weeks, but once your acne is under control you may want to keep using it to stop your acne coming back.
Try a spot treatment or pimple patch
You've probably seen these emergency pimple treatments at the drugstore — usually an extra-strong solution of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide. And yep, they can actually get rid of pimples overnight.
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.
Twenty percent benzoyl peroxide suspension in a gel base and 10% benzoyl peroxide suspension in a lotion base slightly enhanced epidermal resurfacing, while 50% benzoyl peroxide suspension in a lotion base and the vehicle gel retarded healing.
First, lather your face with a Benzoyl Peroxide wash. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then rinse it off with water.
If you have blackheads and whiteheads, salicylic acid alone should work well to clear out your pores. If your acne tends to be inflammatory, such as papules and pustules, opt for benzoyl peroxide to stop outbreaks at the source. For sensitive skin, start with salicylic acid, since it's less likely to cause irritation.
You should not wash the areas of the skin treated with benzoyl peroxide for at least 1 hour after application.
Around eight to 10 weeks after you start using the product, your skin should be much clearer. You'll still have the odd spot or two. If the treatment didn't work as well as you wanted, it's a good idea to visit a dermatologist. A prescription treatment might work better.
Benzoyl peroxide may not be safe for sensitive skin. It's more drying than salicylic acid, so it can lead to more severe irritation.
Consider any medicines and skin care products you already use. Some may make your skin more sensitive, such as prescription retinoid creams or products containing retinol or benzoyl peroxide. Exfoliating while using these products can trigger acne breakouts or excessive dryness.
Retinoids such as Tretinoin, acids such as salicylic, and benzoyl peroxide are just a few of the products that cause purging. These products contain active ingredients that increase the skin cell turnover rate, therefore causing your skin to purge.
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.
Benzoyl peroxide, like all treatments, takes time to work. You may need to wait eight to 10 weeks, sometimes a bit more before seeing a noticeable improvement in your skin. As tempting as it may be, don't slather on more medication, or apply more often than directed.
These serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people. Stop using benzoyl peroxide if: the skin that you're treating becomes swollen. you get blisters on your skin.
After you pop it, apply a thin film of benzoyl peroxide gel (which is available over the counter) to kill the bacteria causing the pimple. Cover with a spot band-aid for a few hours, and you should heal in a few days."
Left alone, a blemish will heal itself in 3 to 7 days. Popped improperly, it can linger for weeks or lead to scarring.
If you're bleeding, she says to “gently blot the area with a clean tissue or cotton pad and clean the area with alcohol.” Once the blood has stopped, she advises applying a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as mentioned above.
Benzoyl peroxide is good for all types of acne, including cysts, blackheads and whiteheads, but it's particularly great at treating inflammatory cystic acne.
It can even remove dark spots and pimples or acne scars. The key difference between any benzoyl peroxide product and other topical antibiotics for acne like clindamycin is that our bodies do not build up an antibiotic resistance to the product.
For example, take benzoyl peroxide, commonly found in acne treatment regimens and acne lotions/moisturizers. After applying benzoyl peroxide, it is important that you wait 5-15 minutes for it to dry before applying anything else.
It is recommended that you use benzoyl peroxide products once or twice each day. If you have sensitive skin or you experience excessive skin redness or peeling, just use the product once each day at night time. You should apply benzoyl peroxide to the whole of the area where your spots occur and not just to each spot.
Do You Put Benzoyl Peroxide All Over Your Face? Dermatologists recommend using benzoyl peroxide all over the face. This is the only way to clear up the pimples and prevent further development of acne.
How long does it take for benzoyl peroxide to start working? Generally it takes around 4 weeks for your acne to improve, but full effects from the medication can take 2 to 3 months. Keep in mind that your acne will get worse in the first few weeks before it starts getting better. I have pretty severe acne.