Benzoyl Peroxide...so good, so bad.
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Mon May 25, 2009 6:40 pm

Honestly...since I started using the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide from acne.org, my skin hasn't looked better. For the first time in a long, long time I have no active blemishes, and even got a compliment on my skin the other day.

That said, I am kind of not cool with the idea that to maintain this blemish-free skin I have to use BP forever and ever. Everything I've been reading about how it is an oxidant and ages skin has me nervous. Plus, I don't like that the hairs around my face and my eyebrows are getting bleachy, my towels are all discolored and I can't have sheets other than white, beige or light grey.

I was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar spot of difficulty and how they dealt with it. I wish there were just something that would work without causing all this stuff I don't want. Sad

Suggestions?

Mon May 25, 2009 9:18 pm

Oh yeah, I hear ya! I have had really bad skin, including cystic acne all over my cheeks. At that point, I used BP every day. I was not in a country at where I could get accutane (it was probably the strange diet and water that gave me the acne). It took me a long time to get my skin back to "not crazy"..

I get a bit of hormonal now and will only use BP on big pimples, bc it works so fast. Otherwise, I use teatree, which has been shown in reputable studies to work like BP, just not as strong.

BP really dries out my skin and makes it a bit red, so I have wondered if using it all the time is not helpful for acne overall, since irritation can provoke acne.

So, my philo. is to use BP when you really need something anti-bacterial on bad pimples.. not spreading the thin layer over the face as acne.org suggests. Maybe this is a good idea to get rid of stubborn acne, then gradually get off it when the skin gets better.

Remember to use sunscreen... so so bad in the sun.. I would only use it at night anyways..

Oh, also.. BP is way more effective if you are exfoliating, either with BHA (I like Paula's Choice 2% liquid) or physically with a microfiber cloth. You need to slough off the dead skin.

A whole other route are retinoids.. which are great for anti-aging, too.. just do a search on the mssg board.

Tue May 26, 2009 6:04 pm

I've used Retin-a cream before. It worked well, until it didn't. I guess the cream formulation was not for me. I've considered trying the gel kind instead, but I think I should wait till winter, when I won't be wanting to spend so much time outside.

I'm using sunscreen every day, but nothing as fancy as the high ppd ones that are so popular around these parts. (Not that I don't want those ones...I just feel so broke lately...)

I'm wondering if I may have better luck staying clear if I continue with the BP for a little while longer and let my skin recover from so many years of constant breakouts, then scale back and start trying gentler things.

Just wondering, how do you use tea tree?

Wed May 27, 2009 6:37 pm

if acne is your main concern, and BP is working, 2.5% is not that strong.. there are people that use 10% for years.. Having continuous acne for a long time also damages skin (scars, hyperpigmentation, messed up pores). Also, the other acne treatments out there are not much better than BP (accutane, antibiotics, etc).
I always try to use it at night so to avoid the sun.

With tea tree, I use just dab it on with a q-tip. It's one of the few essential oils that doesn't need a carrier oil. It smells quite strong, so you might not like it for day time. I use it when I am just starting to get a pimple/congested pores.. it definitely does not work like BP, but it is pretty safe for your skin, just a little drying.

Goodluck!

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