The majority of people, from teenagers to adults, suffer from embarrassing acne all over their face at some point in their life. Your face is your most frequently seen feature so it is desirable for it to be healthy and clear of blemishes. A common treatment prescribed by dermatologists contain what is called benzoyl peroxide. It is widely available in many different brand name medications such as Oxy or Neutrogena. With any medicine, it has its good points and bad points.

Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medicine that comes in the form of a cream, gel, lotion, face mask, or cleansing bar. It is generally used twice a day but it can vary if your doctor decides that it is necessary to use it more, or safer to use it less often. Not following the dosage instructions is very dangerous with this product because it can cause a bad irritation. The difference between a prescription and an over-the-counter form of benzoyl peroxide is that typically prescriptions are of a concentration of higher than 10%.

The advantage to using benzoyl peroxide is that it has a high success rate of clearing up acne. It works quickly and can even clear up severe cystic acne within weeks. However, in some cases it takes patience to see the desired results. It is available in some over-the-counter products that you can buy at your local drug store, which is usually much cheaper than a prescription. It may even be an ingredient in acne medicines that you already own. It is an antiseptic that is absorbed very quickly into the skin where it then works against the bacteria that causes acne and provides oxidation. The oxidation agent helps to reduce the number of comedones, which are commonly classified as whiteheads and blackheads. Its anti-inflammatory properties assists your skin in the healing process of existing acne, while also preventing future acne that is caused by inflammation of the skin.

Some people experience irritation from regular use of benzoyl peroxide and the sometimes acne could get worse. Contact with eyes is absolutely imperative because it will more than likely cause permanent blindness. Common side effects that users have experienced from this medicine's use are skin irritations such as itching, blistering, swelling, and redness. It may also cause dryness of the skin or mild stinging. If you encounter a problem, you should discontinue use and talk to your dermatologist about lowering the dosage or using a milder medication. Because it is a powerful bleaching agent, you should avoid contact with clothing and other fabric because it will immediately cause damage to the colors.

Other uses for this product include dying hair and an ingredient in most teeth whitening systems. It is also used when flour, fats, and waxes are bleached. This information proves the strength of benzoyl peroxide. Before you consider using it, you should definitely consider that almost all users of higher concentrations of this medicine have experienced undesired side effects. The condition of your skin may get worse before it improves but it may be worth it.