I suppose many people know not to do that by now, but here's an interesting tidbit specifically as to why that I learned from my dermatologist:
If you ever have acne, and it eventually bursts and turns into an open wound, DO NOT apply benzoyl peroxide on it. Usually, the course of treatment is to apply BP to kill the acne, but if BP is applied on an open wound it prevent the fibroblasts which form collagen from coming together, which means that it'll increase the likelihood of the wound becoming an acne scar. Thinking back with this information in mind, I think this is a big reason as to why the right side of my face ended up so scarred, because I used to apply BP right on top of the open wound anyway, thinking it would help.
So...yeah...keep using BP. It's really good. Just don't apply it on acne that's popped and whatnot. You could end up scarring yourself, like I did.
If you'd like to know a bit more about Benzol Peroxide, here's an article that may be of interest:
he Blatant Dangers of Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl Peroxide is a chemical that is very common in acne treatments both over-the-counter as well as prescription. The fact that this ingredient is in so many products, which are heavily promoted in advertisements has numbed the public to the blatant side effects of Benzoyl Peroxide.
I am going to discuss in this article four major problems that benzoyl peroxide creates in the skin, and will also suggest a potent all natural alternative.
The first thing that benzoyl peroxide does which is tremendously dangerous is the fact that it produces free radicals in the skin. Free radicals are also created when we spend time in the sun unprotected. Free radicals damage the skin by causing premature aging, decreasing the skins ability to heal, damaging the overall health of the body, and thats not even the worst part. The worst part about creating free radicals in your skin is the links between free radicals and cancer. Can you believe that major name brands, especially the ones that hawk celebrities promote their acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide,knowing that they could be indirectly contributing to cancer? Its shocking, but its true, and the FDA made a point of telling the world about this in the late 1990s.
The FDA statements about benzoyl peroxide are the second major problem with using products which contain it. In the late 90s benzoyl peroxide was rated by the FDA as a category I ingredient, meaning that it was safe to use. However, after researching a little further, they discovered the serious side effects of the free radicals that it caused in the skin, and changed the rating from Category I to Category III, which is Safety is unknown. Because it is used in cosmetic products which dont require the same regulations be followed, acne product manufacturers have been able to continue selling products that contain benzoyl peroxide. Why wouldnt they just change from using Benzoyl Peroxide to using a better ingredient without all the side effects? It costs more, thats why.
A third very important reason to avoid benzoyl peroxide is that the free radicals in the skin make the skins ability to heal irritation and wounds SLOW down. In other words, what should take a few days to heal, might take weeks or longer. In the case of acne, the skin is often red and irritated as a result of the acne breakouts. This redness and irritation needs to be HEALED by the skin, in order for it to go away and become less noticeable. Skin that has been treated with benzolyl peroxide, however, fights off the redness and heals itself at a much slower pace than untreated skin does. This is why many people who use a benzoyl peroxide treatment report that their skin actually looked worse and more irritated after a week or so of use. So, even though the bacteria is being killed by the benzoyl, the irritation and injury to the skin is healing so slowly that the skin looks worse than it did before.
The last reason we will discuss why benzoyl peroxide should be avoided is the over-drying of the skin that it causes. The skin loses its ability to produce natural oils and healthy moisture within it. This means that the skin often flakes and increases in irritation, because it doesnt have the necessary moisture to stay healthy looking. So, although the benzoyl peroxide might be killing the acne causing bacteria, the skin is now flaky, dry, and also more red and irritated.
So what can you do to get rid of acne without all these nightmare side effects? The first thing to do is use an acne treatment that INCREASES the skins ability to remove toxins, and contains ingredients which INCREASE moisture and health. You still need to make sure the acne treatment is able to kill the bacteria that cause acne, however there are some ingredients out there which CAN kill the bacteria, and do it in a safe manner with no side effects.
Manuka Honey is effective in fighting acne due to its ability to fight the infection below the skin, unclogging pores and drawing out the impurities. The active properties in the honey penetrate the blocked follicle, killing the bacteria that cause acne and any infection.
Tamanu Oil, Neem Oil, Tepezcohuite, Willow Bark, and natural salicylic acid have also shown great promise, and are also backed by solid, scientific science.
And if you need some more convincing,then do yourself a favor, and take a little more time before you hit the buy button and do some research. Your skin will thank you now, and forever.
I actually know what website you got this from, and most of this information, aside from the FDA classification (which is extremely outdated) and slow-down of wound healing (which only applies to open wounds not covered by skin), isn't corroborated by solid scientific studies anywhere.
Free radicals only affect the body when they're consumed internally. BP only effects the epidermis and, at most, the dermis if you apply a LOT of it. Both the epidermis and dermis are constantly being shed between cycles that last anywhere between 4-6 weeks, so they don't even stay in your skin. Moreover, BP, by itself, speeds up cell turnover in this manner because of the flaking, especially when taken in conjunction with retinoids that also speed up cell turnover.
Moreover, out of all of the topical treatments available for the treatment of acne, the BP has the most well-documented side effects, and they are amongst the most mild. There's a reason why benzoyl peroxide products, for the most part, are available OTC (the ones that aren't are because they're mixed with other medicines like clindamycin), while most other topical acne treatment products, like clindamycin and retinoids, aren't nearly as widely available. I mean, the World Health Organization classified BP as one of the medicines that should be widely available to peoples all around the world.
Also, it's a VERY bad idea to put honey on your acne, since sugar EXACERBATES skin conditions, including acne. There are also pretty much no oils that do anything beneficial for the treatment of acne, and the only thing on your list that even remotely has any sort of well-documented beneficial effects is salycilic acid, and it doesn't need to be natural.
Basically, what I'm saying is that you're saying a lot of hooey, and I would appreciate it if you didn't go out of your way to spread false information.
Wow. Youre really old school! Because I'm short on time, I'l only address a few of your arguments, because to go into depth would take two days.
I am not spreading any false information. If you would like, I can get 20 ARTICLES that speak of the damage and dangers of benzoyl peroxide, and since you know where I get my information, than you should also be aware of all of this.
Personally, I think we've come quite far between putting a chemical on your face that basically, burns it, and dries it out, and home remedy versions.
With the advent of cosmeceuticals, benzoyl peroxide will slowly fade away with many other outdated hooey dinosaurs. And, with the advent of cosmeceuticals the accepted fact that acne will get worse before it gets better, doesnt fly anymore.
For instance, I also spoke of salicylic acid as it is in WILLOW BARK (standardized to 10%), not the chemical derivative of it, let me be CLEAR about the type your spoke if, and what I did.
Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids, also clinically proven to help acne, are now coming from fruit acid sources, and not chemical derivatives of them (glycolic, lactic, malic)
Let me just add another little factoid: because it cannot tell the difference between good bacteria and bad bacteria, benzoyl peroxide destroys the good bacteria as well, leaving nothing to fight off infection. The harshness of the peroxide also can damage the skin (ehow)
Speaking of hooey, I never said honey, I said MANUKA HONEY (active 15+) or to put honey on acne, with the exception that Manuka Honey (Active, 15+) CAN BE APPLIED TO OPEN WOUNDS, unlike BP.
BUT you said: Also, it's a VERY bad idea to put honey on your acne, since sugar EXACERBATES skin conditions, including acne. Another hooey is the statement that honey should not be used for acne because of its sugar content. The thought behind this argument is that bacteria feed on sugar, thus acne would get worse. Facts are that honey's high sugar content along with its low Ph makes it an antimicrobial agent, actually inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Moreover, many species of bacteria are destroyed by the osmotic (water extracting) effect of Manuka honey.
All honey has antibacterial activity due to hydrogen peroxide, mono-floral honeys have a tendency to have higher levels, but manuka honey goes far beyond other honeys and the difference is when heat is applied, the antibacterial (hydrogen peroxide) activities in honey are destroyed. In Manuka Honey, they are not.
Manuka honey is the most researched, most powerful medicinal honey known today (I can also point you to many, many articles on Active Manuka. It has the ability to penetrate skin tissue and treat infections beneath the skin. Clinically proven to cure wounds, infections, ulcers and other skin conditions, its antibacterial, antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties are unchallenged.
So apart from conquering inflammation and bacteria, which are two major factors in acne, ACTIVE Manuka honey also has shown to draw out impurities in, even in highly infested, problematic, wounds. So it might have the same effect on acne pimples as well. It also has proven to stimulate the growth of new skin cells and fasten wound closure which helps reduce acne scars.
Dr Peter Molan and his research team at the Honey Research Unit at New Zealand's Waikato University found in some specific strains of manuka honey a SECOND, natural, more powerful, and more stable antibacterial property (agent) called UMF- which only Manuka honey has been shown to have, or, the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF).
UMF is additional to the hydrogen peroxide activity and gives the honey a wider range of uses and effectiveness.
Manuka Honey is that which has activity due to high levels of UMF. In the research laboratory a catalase was added to honey samples to remove the hydrogen peroxide and then the honeys were tested to see if there was still any antibacterial activity.
This special non-peroxide antibacterial activity is called UMF (Unique Manuka Factor). Honey has been used for many years in beauty, medicine, and embalming, due to its aseptic composition. Bacteria cannot grow in honey, and thus it is excellent where bacteria may otherwise flourish..
In New Zealand, and now in other parts of the world, medical manuka honey, is used for skin diseases, burns, ulcers, IBS, and other wounds that do not respond well to other therapies, and has grown more and more popular.
Being aware of these wonderful properties it could be very legitimate to suggest Manuka honey might be a really good natural acne remedy.
You said: Free radicals only affect the body when they're consumed internally
.*When we are young our skin is loaded with antioxidants that naturally protect our skin from the environment, especially sun damage. Information on antioxidants and free-radical damage comes from a number of scientific journals, including these devoted to the subject of antioxidant research and activity.
Repeated sun exposure or BP use generates free radicals that damage the skins structure and cellular DNA, resulting in premature aging of the skin.
Because BP generates free radicals it interferes with and slows the healing process
Primarily because of sun damage and in a more minor role other factors such as just growing up, menopause, disease, and using irritating skin-care products, our skin loses the ability to produce those antioxidants. If we don't get enough antioxidant protection, either from our own body's production, from dietary sources, or from topically applying antioxidants, free-radical damage wreaks havoc causing collagen to break down, DNA in our cells to mutate, impairing the skin's ability to heal, and on and on.
When it comes to wrinkles, free-radical damage causes collagen and other vital skin functions to break down. A great skin-care product, whether it comes in a liquid, gel, serum, lotion, or cream, should contain a potent assortment of stable antioxidants to interrupt free-radical damage and keep it from harming skin.
By the way, there are others as well. I also spoke of Tepezcohuite, (pronounced Te-pez-co-wheety) a tree bark from Mexico. Extensive research has been performed on Tepezcohuite in labs in Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom. They have found that Tepezcohuite skin care is non-toxic; a cellular regenerator; an anti-bacterial 300% more effective than streptomycin; and a powerful fungicide.
If one suffers from severe acne, than antibiotics, in conjunction with non-chemical acne remedies, such as cosmeceuticals, is what I would suggest. Out with the old, in with the new.
Information on antioxidants and free-radical damage comes from a number of scientific journals, including these devoted to the subject of antioxidant research and activity: Free Radical Research, Free Radical Biology and Medicine, Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, Oxidative Stress and Aging, Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine,Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, Photodermatology,Photoimmunology, Photomedicine, and Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences.
You do realize that single studies, even dozens of studies, aren't enough to corroborate beyond resonable doubt on a scientific basis, right?
I used to actually be a scientific researcher, so this is my area of expertise, and none of the treatments you're advocating have been fully tested yet, and by "fully tested" I mean that they've been corroborated with hundreds of tests. This is especially important in the field of medical research because there are many more noncontrollable external factors that affect testing and because placebo effect plays a massive role. Even the most definitive tests only result in maybe .1 significance, which is incredibly minor in any other field (compare to cognitive science, which is the field I used to actively work in, where a .05 significance is considered being REALLY lenient). You can't cite a single study and claim that's conclusive evidence of ANYTHING.
Furthermore, BP has had thousands upon thousands of studies conducted testing its safety and efficacy, and the VAST majority of them have shown that it is safe and effective.
You're probably the same type of person that believes that vaccines cause autism because that one fraudulent study posted it.
Again, I implore you to stop spreading misinformation.
No, I am not someone who believes vaccines cause autism, but I suspend my opinion, when there are thousands of cases that raise the issue (and it wasn't one "fraudulent" study. There have been more studies, and the studies are ongoing. The jury is out.
But let's use another parallel as an example, if we're getting off topic. For years, there was suspicion that the birth control pill had a direct connection as a cause to breast cancer. The scientific reports went back and forth for years. Finally in 2012, with the scientific data and methods now available to us, the conclusive reports came in. The spike in breast cancer in women rose by more than 500%. When did this increase begin? In 1960. The same year birth control came on the market. I've no personal opinion on the pill either way. But these are facts.
What does this have to do with your held fast assertion? That the concerns for Benzoyl Peroxide, though de-classified by the FDA (and we all know how honorable they are) from a Category III to a category I (with caveats in place), will most definitely swing the other way once again.
And I used to be an investigative journalist. In my research, I've met, seen and heard of the havoc that benzoyl peroxide has wreaked on the faces of those who've used it, after a few months, and after a few years. All of them have said they wished they'd never used it; as if they'd made a deal with the devil and lost. It would be interesting to research how many complaints a Proactiv receives, with the same issues, in a year. Perhaps as a former scientific researcher, you might be interested in finding out.
No, I will not withdraw my information.
I posted the facts on the other ingredients, safer ones, that you so readily dismissed with one absurd sentence (honey is sugar and sugar exacerbates acne) . For someone whose business this is (now would that be acne research? Or the business of acne products?), I would think that you would have some concrete response to what I posted about Manuka honey, (though you didn't seem to have a clue as to what it actually was), some opposing factoid, other than saying it's "hooey".
Nor was there any concrete response about AHA's from fruit acids, tepezcohuite, and cosmeceuticals, for acne.
You're probably the same type of person who believes climate change is a hoax.
The fact that you think vaccines are something to worry about questions the validity of anything you say beyond this point. And yes, it actually is only one study. Try to find another study that actually suggests vaccines cause autism. You actually won't find one. Hell, the journal that originally posted that study retracted it a year later, and it was later confirmed that that study wasn't even a study, that the original researcher simply made up information and faked test subjects and came up with the conclusions himself.
You do realize that "spikes in breast cancer" could also be attributed to increasingly accurate detection techniques, right? In any case, correlative studies aren't conclusive of anything, because they ignore external factors not being considered in the comparison.
People who have had problems with benzoyl perocxide probably either have had sensitive skin or was using a concentration that was far too high (lots of people use 10% thinking it'll be more effective, it's usually not). BP might not be for them. BP is not for everyone. But you can't ignore the MILLIONS of people, many of whom have posted thousands of testimonials on this very website, that shows the efficiency of BP.
You're also constantly trying to assert that BP is somehow carcinogenic or harmful to the healing process of the skin when hundreds of studies made since the 1991 classification have shown this to not be the case.
Furthermore, I don't need to address those treatments you brought up because they themselves are only backed up by one or two studies. Those studies, at best, are only suggesting that these treatments might be beneficial for treating acne, but you'd be extremely naive to believe that even these treatments, if they are ever confirmed to be effective at all in the first place, won't come with some side effects.
And yes, I do believe in climate change. You know why? Because there have been hundreds of meteorological studies dating back to the 60's (even a few from back in the 20's if you're willing to look back far enough) that assert that the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is having a negative effect on our climate. It's more or less a scientific fact that's being muddied by politics.
It is literally impossible to make the same assertion about BP, unless you're willing to go out of your way to skew the facts. But I'm sure you're going to do that anyway.
If you'd like to know a bit more about Benzol Peroxide, here's an article that may be of interest:
he Blatant Dangers of Benzoyl Peroxide
(snip)
Doesn't this article come from sites selling tree oil and other natural remedies to treat your acne? I've actually seen it in various forms on several different sites selling products. None of the sites were linked to a medical journal or actual study.
If you'd like to know a bit more about Benzol Peroxide, here's an article that may be of interest:
he Blatant Dangers of Benzoyl Peroxide
(snip)
Doesn't this article come from sites selling tree oil and other natural remedies to treat your acne? I've actually seen it in various forms on several different sites selling products. None of the sites were linked to a medical journal or actual study.
Yeah, that is how I know where it came from.
I just didn't want to show the link and potentially draw any traffic to it, crooks like that shouldn't even get the webpage hits.
I wonder if it's not just bp. I;ve put benzoyl peroxide on open wounds before and it luckily did not leave scars. However, I had either a massive cyst or a boil (staph infection) on the side of my face 9 months ago. I really wanted it to never come back after it opened up and drained so I started putting 20% tea tree oil on it three times a day, and I never used moisturizer on that area. The infection did go away completely and never came back but I got my first scar.
I would be careful about putting either tea tree oil or benzoyl peroxide on open wounds. I'd just wait a little bit for the wound to scab over before applying daily topicals.
Doesn't this article come from sites selling tree oil and other natural remedies to treat your acne? I've actually seen it in various forms on several different sites selling products. None of the sites were linked to a medical journal or actual study.
Exactly! It's always the same... Lots of blahblah and no evidence to back it up. "Blatant dangers"... *shakes head*
I wonder if it's not just bp. I;ve put benzoyl peroxide on open wounds before and it luckily did not leave scars. However, I had either a massive cyst or a boil (staph infection) on the side of my face 9 months ago. I really wanted it to never come back after it opened up and drained so I started putting 20% tea tree oil on it three times a day, and I never used moisturizer on that area. The infection did go away completely and never came back but I got my first scar.
I would be careful about putting either tea tree oil or benzoyl peroxide on open wounds. I'd just wait a little bit for the wound to scab over before applying daily topicals.
Yes, this is probably the best advice.
On 6/7/2012 at 5:28 AM, DRaGZ said:On 6/7/2012 at 5:22 AM, EddieE said:BP shouldn't be applied on wound and on SKIN. It is a bad chemical that kills good cells. Bad bad bad for skin.
*sigh*
This is patently false.
It is true, that's why you age faster if you use it. Your face will look unnaturally and just bad. That's why you MUST moisturize when applying BP 'cause it dries face. BP is strong =\
On 6/7/2012 at 8:20 PM, EddieE said:On 6/7/2012 at 5:28 AM, DRaGZ said:On 6/7/2012 at 5:22 AM, EddieE said:BP shouldn't be applied on wound and on SKIN. It is a bad chemical that kills good cells. Bad bad bad for skin.
*sigh*
This is patently false.
It is true, that's why you age faster if you use it. Your face will look unnaturally and just bad. That's why you MUST moisturize when applying BP 'cause it dries face. BP is strong =\
Your skin doesn't "age faster," it simply dries out if you don't moisturize and apply sunblock. BP has side effects if not properly used, just like any other medication.
By this logic, your skin would also "age faster" when washing your face too often.
On 6/7/2012 at 8:25 PM, jaimeramone1028 said:Thank you so much! I was applying Duac to one of those, and it just made it more red. I'll stop now.
Yeah, if the pimple already popped, or if you got a cut or something, don't apply BP on it. You can apply BP anywhere else, though.
On 8/4/2012 at 11:03 PM, DRaGZ said:I've decided to bump this 'cause it's somewhat important information for people using BP.
By all means, don't stop using BP if it's working for you. Just don't apply it to any acne pustules that have popped already or any cuts or sores.
Thank you for your comments here Dragz. Make me happy in this dredgy world...