Benzoyl Peroxide with Erythromycin to Prevent Antibiotic- Resistant Bacteria in Acne

Click to check the price
Buy Proactiv - a Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Product
Get cleared with a benzoyl peroxide treatment that helped thousands to fight acne!

Erythromycin-resistant strains of Propionibacterium acnes, first described in the late 1970s, appear to be becoming a significant clinical problem. Researchers in Britain previously reported that 25% of patients at their large acne center have erythromycin-resistant P. acnes on their skin, and they recently showed that patients with predominantly resistant P. acnes fail to respond to oral erythromycin therapy. In an effort to ensure the continued efficacy of erythromycin in acne therapy, these researchers investigated whether benzoyl peroxide, a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, adds to the antibacterial effect of erythromycin.

Benzoyl peroxide was tested alone and in combination with erythromycin against 40 erythromycin-sensitive and -resistant strains of Staphylococcus epidermis and proprionibacteria in vitro. In most of the bacterial strains, the combination of agents was no more effective in inhibiting the organisms than benzoyl peroxide alone.

Comment: P. acnes may have developed resistance to erythromycin, a bacteriostatic agent, as a result of the introduction of topical formulations in the late 1970s or from years of long-term systemic administration of the drug. The emergence of resistant strains poses a potentially significant problem in the management of patients with acne. This study shows that the combination of erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide is not synergistic against the majority of erythromycin-resistant propionibacteria. However, the combined use of topical benzoyl peroxide with either topical or systemic erythromycin should prevent selection for erythromycin-resistant skin bacteria and should also reduce the number of resistant strains already present on the skin. It appears rational, therefore, to avoid using unopposed erythromycin and to combine it with benzoyl peroxide.

— JS Dover

Published in Journal Watch Dermatology December 1, 1994

How can acne be treated?

Click to check the price
Buy Proactiv - a Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Product
Get cleared with a benzoyl peroxide treatment that helped thousands to fight acne!

Acne can be treated in different ways. The main thing to remember is that it will take about two months of any treatment before your skin starts to look better.

Benzoyl peroxide (in different strengths) clears up acne for many people. You can get benzoyl peroxide without a prescription. It comes in a cream, lotion, gel, soap or in pads. You spread it over the whole area where you have acne (not just dabbing it onto each blemish). Your doctor may tell you to use it once a day at first and then work you up to two times a day. If you start using benzoyl peroxide, begin with a lower strength. Use it once a day at bedtime. Before using it, gently wash the skin with soap and water. If benzoyl peroxide doesn't seem to help after two months or is very irritating to your skin, get advice from your doctor. Benzoyl peroxides can bleach your clothes, so be careful.

Antibiotics can be very good for acne. They can be taken by mouth, or used in a lotion, cream, or gel on the skin. Again, be sure to apply the lotion, cream or gel over the whole area where you have acne. Often doctors start with these but if they don't work, you may have to take the antibiotic as a pill over months.

Tretinoin (some examples are Retin-A, Stieva-A) can be a very good treatment for acne. It is often rubbed onto the skin once a day. Be sure not to get it near the eyes, mouth and area under the nose. It may seem at first that tretinoin is making your acne worse. Give it several weeks to start working. If you use tretinoin, you must avoid the sun or use a strong sunscreen. Tretinoin increases your risk of getting a very bad sunburn. Some come with sunscreen added to them. Pills are used to treat severe acne. Many creams/gels contain a combination of acne treatments such as vitamin A and an antibiotic.

Isotretinoin (Accutane) may be needed to treat severe acne. Accutane comes as a cream and may help less severe acne. It is best in treating cystic acne and to prevent scars. It is taken once a day by mouth for 15 to 20 weeks. Isotretinoin can cause serious side effects. It causes serious birth defects and miscarriages. It should never be taken during pregnancy or even one month before pregnancy. All women must use birth control while you take isotretinoin, as well as one month before and one month after you start taking it.

Talk to your doctor and follow directions carefully if he or she prescribes isotretinoin for you.

Acne Treatment - Benzoyl Peroxide

Click to check the price
Buy Proactiv - a Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Product
Get cleared with a benzoyl peroxide treatment that helped thousands to fight acne!

Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the common ingredients used to treat acne. You can find this active ingredient in the form of a cream, gel, lotion, facemask, or cleansing bar. Benzoyl Peroxide is very effective in treating mild cases of acne. This acne treatment drug is available in non-prescription form for concentrations of 2.5%, 5% and 10%. If you are looking for concentrations higher than 10%, you need a doctor's prescription. Several studies have shown that 2.5% benzoyl peroxide is equally effective to combat pimples and is less irritating. Therefore, if you want to try Benzoyl Peroxide to treat your acne, you should begin with a low concentration (example 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide).

How Benzoyl Peroxide works
Before we go into details on how benzoyl peroxide can prevent acne, it is useful to understand how acne is formed. Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes) is a bacteria that causes the skin disorder acne. P.acnes is a major inhabitant of human skin and is the causative agent of acne. This skin-dwelling organism will multiply rapidly within clogged sebaceous follicles if left untreated. Fortunately, these bacteria cannot live in the presence of oxygen. Benzoyl Peroxide is an oxygen-releasing chemical in the organic peroxide family. Upon applying on the affected area, this chemical is absorbed into the pores and releases the oxygen to destroy P.acnes.

Side Effects of Benzoyl Peroxide
It is important to note that there are some side effects when using this anti-acne medication:

a. Dryness
If you are using 5% or 10% of benzoyl peroxide, you may want to try a lower concentration, say 2.5% of benzoyl peroxide.

b. Irritation
For irritation, you can reduce the usage frequency. If you encounter severe irritation even the usage frequency is low, you should discontinue using the product.

c. Allergy
If you are allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide, you should discontinue using it and consult your dermatologist for other acne treatments.

d. Bleach
Benzoyl Peroxide is a powerful bleaching agent. You should prevent your hair from contacting this bleaching agent as this medicine can cause permanent color dampening.

Before using Benzoyl Peroxide for your acne treatment, please take note that this medicine generates free radicals in the skin. The result is redness of the skin due to oxidative stress. The effect is similar to unprotected sun exposure. If you are using a benzoyl peroxide product to treat your acne, you should avoid unnecessary sun exposure and use a sunscreen during the day.

Please be reminded that the above information is for informational purposes only and it is not intended to replace any health care services you need. The information provided is strictly not meant to diagnose medical conditions, offer medical advice, or endorse specific products or services. Do not rely upon the information provided alone for medical diagnosis or treatment. Kindly consult your doctor about any personal health concerns.

Julian Chee is the founder of Skincare Daily. This accredited skin care website provides information on acne, acne treatments and acne products. For more acne information, please visit http://www.skincaredaily.com
By Julian Chee
Published: 6/21/2006

Is somehow testosterone guilty for our acne?

Click to check the price
Buy Proactiv - a Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Product
Get cleared with a benzoyl peroxide treatment that helped thousands to fight acne!

I constantly keep asking me – is somehow testosterone guilty for all these acne things happening to us? I made a very quick research on google and revealed that testosterone has nothing to do with acne, except in some cases in women, but not in males.

Logically, being the hormone which regulates the oil elimination of the skin, it should be somehow connected with the acne appearance, I think. Acne caused by demodex appears because of the excessive oil elimination, and there must be a connection between this hormone and the acne occurrence.

Also, if my theory that a lack of testosterone may cause some skin disorders is true (and less testosterone means more acne spots), and testosterone also is responsible for the one’s aggressive attitude, than it is more likely that people with a melancholic character and calm to develop acne. This is a very interesting idea I came to, I think it deserves some researches :)