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Hi Everyone-
I'm making this post because I think some updated support is needed for individuals who have decided that benzoyl peroxide is no longer for them. If you are currently quitting BP, or afraid to do it, you are not alone.
I started using BP a long time ago (10+ years) after stumbling on this site. I was pursuing a career in acting, and due to advice from my manager was told that my skin issues (really only one or two blemishes) would stand in the way of me getting parts. I followed the regimen perfectly, and my skin eventually took to the BP and I remained almost 100% acne clear for years.
Along with acne-free skin, however, I started noticing that my skin became dull and thin. In addition, my sweat became almost like bleach: destroying countless pieces of clothing, towels, and pillowcases. I started to think that anything that had chemical properties such as this should not be on my skin. So I decided to quit.
I began a gradual decline in usage over the course of several months. Going from applying twice a day, to once a day; then every other day; to every third day. After this point I stopped completely. I had one or two blemishes for the first two weeks completely off, but nothing notable.
After the first two weeks however, things changed. I developed significant congestion in the pores on my forehead, which later led to the worst breakout of my life. My entire head was filled with various sized and types of acne, many of which were painful and itched like crazy. I would wake up in the morning with blood on my pillow because I was using (in my sleep) my pillow to relieve the itching. I've seen posts from individuals preaching that benzoyl peroxide only treats the symptoms, and that the acne that comes back is what you would be dealing with otherwise. This is far from the truth. The acne that came back was incredibly different from anything I had ever experienced. In addition, my diet has always been incredibly clean, I exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep. This only fortified my desire to quit, as nothing that has changed my skin this much can possibly be good for you.
That said, I am now completing my third month off of BP. I have been working with an esthetician who has been helping immensely. When I went in to their office, they could not believe how dry my skin was, and they said that my forehead almost looked like a wound (it was almost raw). They gave me a new regimen using Image-brand gentle cleanser and moisturizer: nothing else. Since I started on this new protocol, I've noticed a decrease in the amount of outbreaks, and the inflammation starting to diminish. I've also gone off dairy (thanks to the information provided by Brian Turner's The Acne Method). There is still a lot of hyperpigmentation, but I definitely am starting to see an end in sight.
This has been an incredible trying time. I've wanted to go back to BP several times, but stopped myself knowing that sometimes "the only way out is through." There have been a lot of tears (personally) and rude comments from people who don't understand why I would have stopped, or trying to make their own recommendations for something they know nothing about. I've noticed that my confidence has been completely tested, dropping my eye-line to the floor, and resulting to wearing beanies when going out in public. I've gotten through because of patience, love and support from my family, and stoicism driving me to an opportunity of self-love.
I'm still not out of the woods. I'll report back as I continue the process. Just know that if you are going through this, you are not alone.
Update: Going into month 5, and there has been significant improvement. Hang in there! I continue to only wash my face and moisturize, however I switched over to Caldera + Lab as something in the Image moisturizer was clogging my pores. I've also started regular red-light therapy, which seems to be helping clear up the PIE. My face still has a couple active spots in addition to the PIE, but for the first time in this entire process my face feels smooth and seems to be normalizing.
If you are quitting BP, I know how frustrating those first few months are. But your face will heal, it will stabilize. Your confidence will return, and you will have a whole new appreciation for the body, how it works, and how it heals.
Update: Now end of June. Acne free you all! I switched to simplifying my routine even more, trying Clearstem (great products but pricey), then finally ending up on Norse Organics (actually the simplest and most cost effective regimen of the bunch). Norse was the one to finally wipe the acne away. If I get a blemish now it only lasts for a day or two. I still have some scarring and will be working with my esthetician to improve that. All said and done, I'm so happy I finally quit. And I'm so happy that I stayed patient and pushed through.
Hey i have stopped using benzoyl peroxide after the usage of almost 2 years. I have stopped using it at the end of April this years right now my 4th month is started and i am still breaking out.. I can see some difference but there is so much hyper pigmentation along side the acne that it is difficult to tell is it better or not. This made me so overwhelmed and also made afraid weather its gonna resolve or not i am eating diet sometimes get stressed by looking at it still try to manage it that it will only made it worse. Hope it get better!
@alexburkart does it actually a long process in order to heal it naturally like just the skin healing with balanced life?
@yash 3308 I was still breaking out some at the four month mark, and was super frustrated because of the amount of PIE (post inflammatory erythema). I would say it took 7-8 months for the skin just to recalibrate. I know it can be frustrating, and there sometimes doesn't seem to be an end in sight- but in my case it got better. For me the process worked this way: balance the life with healthy habits, let the skin re-balance itself naturally with minimal products, and then treat any scaring and inflammatory marks (I'm currently having success with microneedling).
@alexburkart i hope it ends for me to i clean my diet i got into checkup for my gut liver and hormone everything else is balance just this quitting made me feel like it will never gonna be okay
@alexburkart glad i found a similar story of yours otherwise gonna die of stress because i don't want to add any more actives and chemicals into my routine
@alexburkartI have been on a similar boat, I have been using benzoyl for at least 5-6 years since late puberty and now want to go off it but my skin has been very dependent on it. I have tried twice in the past to stop it cold turkey but my skin got so bad each time i gave in and started using it again. This time I want to really stop it. I stopped it cold turky for 10 days ( i know it was a bad decision) and after that i have been using it every other day once at night ( my " normal" use was once a day at night). After the 10 days i have been breaking out A LOT. At this point i have been using it every other day for 2 and a half weeks and my skin is gettin progressivly worse. The only thing that is getting better is some bad irritation i had around my nose where the skin is generally more sensitive.
My question to you is that you didnt really break ot till you got completely off of it ? Because im breaking out really bad even tho im still using it ?
I am also using a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and cicalfate at night to try and help my barrier that may be damaged. Also on the days that i dont use benzoyl i am using salycilic acid which i dont know if its doing anything but I am pretty sure its not doing any harm. Also you mentioned that your worse spot is the forhead, was that the case even before starting benzoyl ? I am in a simillar boat and it is worse around the area i used to have acne pre-benzoyl era.