Acne Treatment - Benzoyl Peroxide

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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?

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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 :)

What should I know if I’m using Benzoyl Peroxide?

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If a person is using a cleansing liquid or bar, they should wash thoroughly but gently with the product once or twice daily as directed. A small amount should be applied, not just to the outbreaks themselves, but also to the areas where outbreaks occur. Avoid getting benzoyl peroxide in the eyes, mouth or nose. If contact is made with these sensitive areas, flush gently with water and contact a physician if inflammation or irritation continues.

Benzoyl peroxide comes in a cleansing liquid or bar, lotion, cream and gel for the use on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide is also a key ingredient in many over-the-counter acne topical medications. Be aware when using products that feature benzoyl peroxide, because it has a bleaching effect on hair and clothing. They may also affect your cloth-covered furniture.

While using benzoyl peroxide, you should always avoid anything that might irritate the skin such as abrasive soaps or cleansers, alcohol, cosmetics and prolonged exposure to sunlight. Benzoyl peroxide dries out the skin, so some redness and peeling should be expected. It could take up to 4 to 6 weeks to see a noticeable improvement in your symptoms. If none is noticed by the end of that time frame, then you should contact your doctor.

An overview on Benzoyl Peroxide in Acne

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With various forms of acne striking teens as well as adults, benzoyl peroxide is one of the most common treatments for acne. Many of the products on the market today contain benzoyl peroxide including popular lotions, soaps, gels and creams. Most of these acne treatments are sold over the counter under such manufacturer names as Neutrogena Acne, Benoxyl, Clear by Design, PanOxyl, Clean & Clear, Clearasil and Oxy.

Benzoyl peroxide works by killing the bacteria that frequently causes acne infection; known as P. acnes. While this bacteria is present in almost everyone, it begins to create a problem and leads to the presence of acne when the sebaceous glands become clogged with sebum. Redness, pain and swelling result from the infection. As the medication kills the bacteria, the excess sebum dries which may lead to some of the more frequent side effects noted for this acne treatment.

As a peeling agent, one of the most common side effects of benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment is the fact that it tends to irritate the skin. Depending on the user, this irritation can range from slight to more severe. Individuals who possess very sensitive skin are cautioned to use the medicine less often or user a weaker strength of the medication. In some cases in which the medication causes the skin to become overly reddened or even peel, it may be necessary to consult a physician. Benzoyl peroxide can also cause the following conditions:

• Blistering, crusting or swelling of the skin
• Severe burning or redness of the skin
• Skin rash
• Darkening or lightening of the skin
• Discoloration of hair as well as fabrics

Many manufacturers recommend continual use of benzoyl peroxide for optimal acne treatment results, leading to the question of whether there might be any long term effects related to the use of this product. Due to the fact that benzoyl peroxide generates free radicals, there has been concern expressed that long term use of this acne treatment could lead to the development of skin cancer later in life. At the current time, there are no studies to indicate this; however it remains a theoretical concern.

Women who are pregnant are cautioned to consult their physician prior to using any acne treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide due to the fact that the effects of benzoyl peroxide on a developing fetus remain unknown.

Benzoyl peroxide does tend to cause skin irritation, especially in sensitive skin, so individuals with such conditions as eczema or sunburned skin are also cautioned not to use it.

In a clinical study performed by the Department of Dermatology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor; a combination gel acne treatment containing benzoyl peroxide was tested in more than 1250 patients with moderate to moderately severe acne vulgaris. The combination gel contained a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. The most common side effect noted was dry skin with some isolated incidences of localized skin irritation.

Game: Help James and Alison to fight their acne with Benzac

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I found this entertaining online game at theconstructionsite.com.au. I liked it and I decided to post it here, so everyone could help James or Alison to get a clear skin.
The game idea is to destroy all the spots with a Benzac Ac tube and to pass to the next level.
Move the tube with your keyboard arrows and treat the spot with the spacebar.
I would like to know if you enjoyed playing this game. I’m not affiliated to Benzac, I just liked the game – we all dream to gain a clear skin so fast and simple as James and Alison do in this game.
And don’t forget to post your highscores!

May be Demodex the cause of my acne?

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Who causes acne? At this question we may get on a simple google more than one millions of pages who write about this disease and the causes which may lead to it. I found some articles on net where there are scientist who believe that in more than 90 cases from 100 are caused by Demodex.

So what’s Demodex?

Demodex are parasites which live on the face and in the hair follicles of humans. They can badly damage the facial skin of humans, usually starting at middle age when the immune system is weakened and their population has increased. In the photos below you can easily see, under the 3D microscope how Demodex looks like. The mites can live on all body parts wherever there are hair roots and sebaceous glands however, they are most prevalent in the facial area, especially the nose, forehead, chin, and cheeks. These areas have the most favorable living and breeding conditions and provide an optimum temperature for them to thrive.

It is commonly accepted that Demodex affects more the dogs and not humans, nut this seems to be wrong. Actual theory about acne says in more than 90% of cases the agent is considered to be Demodex mites. As you can see in the photo, it has 8 legs and the mouth of these mites is like a very sharp needle that can directly sting into the cells to absorb nutrition. They like a wet and warm environment and become the most active in the dark. There are five stages in the life cycle. After mating on the surface of the skin, they go back into it and lay eggs, taking bacteria with them and excreting wastes and secretions, laying eggs and dying within its layers. After death, their corpses become liquid and decompose inside the skin. Surely, there are some more agreeable creatures on Earth :)