How Benzoyl Peroxide Can Banish Pimples—Plus, the Best Spot Treatments to Try
Since our first-ever pimple, we’ve heard about benzoyl peroxide. Years (many years) later, it’s still one of the best acne treatments for a bunch of different skin types. Whether you deal with the occasional breakout, hormonal cystic acne, or blackheads, benzoyl peroxide products can be total skin-savers. Another point in their favor is that they’re available over the counter, so they’re more accessible than many other acne treatments on the market. Of course, if you’re dealing with moderate-to-severe acne, you should still go see your dermatologist who can point you in the right direction for your specific skin.
Benzoyl peroxide products are great to have in your beauty arsenal because you never know when a breakout will pop up. With at least 5 or 10 percent benzoyl peroxide, a spot treatment can work quickly, even reducing a painful zit overnight. But like all acne treatments, benzoyl peroxide isn’t without its side effects—so we chatted with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch to get to the bottom of this powerful ingredient.
About the Expert:
Dr. Ranella Hirsch is a Boston-based board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic and laser dermatology.
How does benzoyl peroxide work?
To figure out how benzoyl peroxide works, we have to understand what it is in the first place. “It’s an organic peroxide, which in English means it’s an oxidizing agent that destroys bacteria responsible for acne,” explains Dr. Hirsch. “It’s also anti-inflammatory, so it helps there as well.” Unlike BHAs such as salicylic acid that slough off dead skin cells and sebum that clogs pores, benzoyl peroxide fights bacteria. And figuring out which acne-fighter is best for you might be as easy as looking closely in the mirror.
If you’re dealing with less obvious pimples and more clogged pores, texture issues, blackheads, and acne scars, your skin type might do best with salicylic acid. Thanks to the way it exfoliates skin, using an acne cleanser or acne cream with salicylic acid can result in clear pores and less overall excess sebum. On the flip side, if you have acne-prone skin with more obvious pimples, including cystic acne, benzoyl peroxide can zap those zits faster by targeting the bacteria right where it lives.
Benzoyl peroxide products come in many forms in the skincare world, but the most popular is the spot treatment. A spot treatment helps ensure you focus only on the pimple and not the surrounding skin, which is ideal since benzoyl peroxide has a tendency to cause excess drying (even with limited use). Benzoyl peroxide is strong, for sure, but not without some side effects.
Are there any side effects?
Dr. Hirsch warns that benzoyl peroxide “can be drying, especially if overused.” A little goes a long way, and you’ll want to start slow—which is true for any acne treatment, including salicylic acid. Those with oily skin often tolerate benzoyl peroxide cleansers or spot treatments pretty well, as long as they’re not used too many days in a row. Folks with dry skin and/or sensitive skin might find benzoyl peroxide too drying as an acne treatment or may only be able to use it sparingly, and only on the affected area when a pimple is especially inflamed. Regardless of your skin type, a good moisturizer—especially one with hyaluronic acid—is key to replenishing any lost moisture and ensuring the strength of your skin’s moisture barrier.
There’s another, lesser-talked-about side effect that Dr. Hirsch mentions. “Benzoyl peroxide can bleach clothes, so take care to let it dry,” she says. Most of us like the color of our tops, towels, and pillow cases the way they are (that’s part of why we bought ’em, right?), so this is really important. Benzoyl peroxide can cause white spots to pop up on your pillowcase, sheets, pajamas—anything it touches, really. So make sure a spot treatment or face wash is totally dry before you slip into bed. When you wake up, be sure to wash your face, apply more lightweight moisturizer and a non-comedogenic sunscreen. Follow these steps so you can say goodbye to that blemish and hey to clear skin.
The best benzoyl peroxide acne products:
1. DR. LIN SKINCARE Acne Spot Corrector
One of the best benzoyl peroxide products out there, this powerful topical treatment contains 5 percent benzoyl peroxide to kill acne-causing bacteria. More reasons you’ll want this in your skincare kit: It reduces even cystic acne, calms redness, and helps fade discoloration after a zit has healed. Ipsters say this Glam Bag favorite “tamed acne” and “you only need a small amount on the problematic spots.” Others used this “amazing” zit-killer to “treat nasty, unpredictable pimples,” which sounds like a major winner in our books.
2. ZAPZYT Acne Gel
If your skin often gets dry from acne spot treatments, try this oil-free gel. Even though it has a whopping 10 percent benzoyl peroxide, it’s alcohol-free and water-based, so it’s less likely to dry out your skin over time. We love how it doesn’t feel greasy or heavy, and it absorbs right into the skin. “Worked really well, applied this gel on a pimple and it shrank immediately. My pimple was gone the next day!” says one Ipster who received this spot treatment in her Glam Bag. Others called it “powerful” and that it “is fast-acting and has helped so much.”
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