Topical Antibacterial
Reviews
3.5
20781 Reviews
Topical Antibacterial
Efficacy
54%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Note: Benzoyl peroxide clears the skin completely when applied correctly.
Topical Antibacterial
Side Effects
Low-Medium
Topical Antibacterial
Acne.org’s Real World Take
It’s been a staple of acne treatment for decades for a reason. When used properly it can completely clear the skin. It is widely available and affordable. Comes with side effects for the first few weeks and can bleach fabric.
Topical Antibacterial
How to Get It
This is an over-the-counter treatment. Here are some places you can find it online.
Read All About Benzoyl Peroxide
Compare To Other Treatments
5
31.3%
4
25%
3
17.2%
2
12.5%
1
14%

Used Benzoyl Peroxide? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
December 22, 2009

Pros:

none!!!

Cons:

First, you pay WAY too much for a TINY amount your first month. Their "free gift" and half price commercials suck you in. But they don't tell you that you are getting a half an amount for half price. It makes your skin go crazy for the first months. makes it worse than it was. and the second you stop using it. your skin is 5 times worse than when you started. DONT USE THIS! don't even TRY it. My acne was not that bad til I used this.

Not worth any part of it. The money, The hassle or the years it is going to take to get your skin back to normal, Mine is not even close and I stopped using it 6 months ago.
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December 13, 2009

Pros:

takes care of acne quickly, skin feels smoother, easy to use

Cons:

a little bit drying

Regardless of it's drying effect, the acne system does do what it says, which is to get rid of your acne. I have smoother skin, and everything. I have used Proactiv in the past as well as Neutrogena and Clean and Clear but nothing else has worked for me like Clinique.
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December 13, 2009

Pros:

makes skin feel clean
cleanser has little exfoliating grits in it
refining mask is nice smells funny tho but u get used to it

Cons:

makes it worse
only works for ppl w/ very light acne and small pimples not severe or moderately severe acne. doesn't shrink pus (i know thats disgustiing but the truth) dries out skin

its ok it works if u have light acne but not severe a lot of ppl are looking for the right treatment to their BAD acne not just a few tiny little cloged pores here and there
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December 13, 2009

Pros:

Well, I've been using this product on and off for almost 4 years. What is great about it... is that it does work. Obviously since I've been using it for so long. It clears up pimples in a few days and prevents new ones from breaking out.

Cons:

If you over-use the repairing lotion, you get very dry skin. If you stop using the product, you start breaking out again. So you pretty much become dependent of it. If you have sensitive skin, use only half of what they recommend.

Very normal to break out the first few weeks of using it. It is clearing up all the junk in your skin. I stuck to it, and I rarely break out at all. My skin is clear and soft. Never forget to moisturize! Or else the product will cause you more harm then good.
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December 9, 2009

Pros:

the only thing in this whole kit that did any good was the green tea moisturizer.

Cons:

It severely damaged my skin. my acne got worse than it ever was before & worse than I ever thought acne COULD get. It dries my skin out,left it flaky and scarred-Im still trying to reverse & repair what Pro-activ did to me. Ruined my skin, my LIFE.

Proactiv ruined my skin, any left over shards of confidence/self esteem I had..my life
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December 7, 2009

Pros:

it reduced the redness of my spots and and quickly got rid of them

Cons:

it sting for a few minutes after first applied and if you apply too heavily the spots get redder.

A great way to reduce spot size and redness fast but not for a permanent spot treatment
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December 5, 2009

Pros:

It was a refreshing process and really and truly worked... for about a week or two.

Cons:

After a week of using it as directed the skin on my cheeks and forehead turned red, scaly, and sore. It took weeks to get my skin back in decent condition. And it was a pain in the a** to cancel my trial. And a year later the company still calls me.

I did the whole trial thing that they advertise. It cleared my moderate/light acne in a few days, but my skin dried out way too much and basically got burned from the acids in the formula. If you have really tough skin it'd probably work out alright. I don't consider my forehead to be a sensitive spot, but I guess it was. MAKE SURE YOU CALL AND CANCEL IF YOU'RE UNSATISFIED. Apparently they sell a "sensitive" formula, but from what I've heard it isn't much better. Seriously consult a dermatologist before you use these chemicals.
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December 4, 2009

Pros:

no colour, not pastey, great value for money, dries easily,

Cons:

none

i've used oxy 5%bp before and it did work for a while but never really stopped my acne completely, but then i wasnt on a strict regimen back then, still now i am not on a complete regimen but i do wash my face with cetaphill and apply Dan's BP and then moisturize, my acne has cleared 99% and now i only break out like once a month, i just broke out yesterday, i got 3 small spots but i am very happy with this BP, by far the best i've used to date. when i first got it i applied it day & night, but after my acne started clearing i only use it at night, seems to be working. Thanks Dan for the BP and everyone with an acne prone skin should give this a try atleast once.
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November 30, 2009

Pros:

Does clear up ur skin 2 a point

Cons:

Dries up your face too much. Doesnt work very well with Dans Regimen

use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide! 10% is way too strong and may destroy your skin. 10% is pointless as 2.5% does the same thing except it doesnt have all the drawbacks
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November 30, 2009

Pros:

None. Well no, the face mask is pretty good for spot treatment

Cons:

EVERYTHING! It irritated my face, it gave me MORE pimples, it was crazy expensive, it takes a long time to go through the whole process, need I say more?

I used proactiv for the full 6 weeks required and more, and my acne actually got worse. I understand that it doesn't happen to everyone but it happened to me. I used to just have a little bit of acne on my forehead, now I have big, infected pimples and on my cheeks too (my cheeks used to be crystal clear), it's just terrible :(
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.