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
February 19, 2011

Pros:

-makes skin feel fresh
-makes you feel refreshed
-not to hard to use

Cons:

-expensive
-time consuming
-doesnt work
-drys out skin after a while

I am 14. i have had breakouts since i was about 12 so i decided to use proactiv. i read all the instructions and read up on all the reviews and i was really excited for it to work. at first i thought it was working, but i took a picture before i started using proactiv, and compared to my skin now , it actually made my skin WORSE. my cheecks were clear, but now i have pimples on both checks. i stopped using it. clean&clear face wash and other good brands actually work a lot better.i wouldnt waste my money on this if i were you, but who knows it might work for you.also it dried out my sensitive skin after 2 weeks of using it not to bad. the refining mask smells horrible and dries. try it if you want,but my skin isnt even that bad and it didnt work.
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January 3, 2011

Pros:

Clears up acne better than anything I have ever used
Goes on easily and absorbs well

Cons:

Can leave face red/tan, especially if you use a lot
seems to cause more hyper-pigmentation for me

This cleared up my acne very well, but leaves my face tan/red if I use a lot.
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November 17, 2010

Pros:

Smelled good and thats it nothing more

Cons:

Dries you out like never before
Irritates your skin very badly
Red flaky patches that look horrible
Makes you really tight

If you are like me who is simply just looking for a solution, well I was reading all the reviews on this site before finally decided to go and buy it 3 days ago. Got home tried it on in the morning, and straight away after the FIRST application my face started to tighten really bad already, I couldnt smile because it hurted, I couldnt even eat a Big Mac from McDonalds because I could hardly even open open my mouth. Went to bed and woke up the next day and went to the toilet to do the morning routine and I nearly had a heart attack when I looked at the mirror. It was red flaky itchy irritated and it was in all the areas where I applied Proactive the previous day. Huge patch of redness and I mean HUGE. I know it says that it is supposed to make you worse and breakout at first but damn it was too damn irritating and applying a moisturizer on doesnt even help. So i decided to give it up after 5 applications of twice a day on day 3. If you are thinking of buying this product then I urge you to reconsider, there is nothing me or anyone on here who can tell you whether to try it or not but be prepared to face the consequences of your actions. Good luck to everyone out there, I know I'll be giving this back and NEVER EVER EVER using it or recommending it to ANYONE EVER.
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October 22, 2010

Pros:

Reduced acne
Cheap

Cons:

Dried skin
Didn't clear completely

While this stuff worked better than most products it still didn't work great. If you have mild acne or possibly moderate it might work but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
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September 24, 2010

Pros:

feels great!
really cleans the skin.
love the scent
and best of all keeps acne under control!!

Cons:

nothing really.
bleaches faceclothes a bit.

This is the ONLY acne treatment my daughter will use.. we have been ordering from Carley's for probably around 5 years.. Panic sets in if she runs out and I love it too!
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September 19, 2010

Pros:

None

Cons:

product overdries
irritated my skiin
Have small print to automatically deliver product once you sign up.
wont cancel your order.
bill you after you try to cancel

This stuff is awful. It dried my skin out so badly, barely cleared my acne. I didnt notice that they sign you up for a subscription so i ended up with 4 months of product total. Fair enough, they got me with the trick, so i called to cancel. They didnt cancell it and kept sending me product. I moved about 2 months later, canceled again and they still sent it to my old house and charged my moms card. Now she gets letters from a collection agency for a product that never worked, we didn't want, tried to cancel and continued to receive at the wrong address. and to make it worse every time we called to cancel they tried to pitch us the junk again, telling me my acne will never be cured unless i keep using the product. Seriously avoid these people and this product at all costs!
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September 15, 2010

Pros:

Actually did work for a while

Cons:

Bleached everything it touched with no warnings on the bottles about this.

I first used this back in 2001. Ordered it thinking it would be a waste of money. Used it consistantly for 2 weeks and my skin did clear and smooth out better than it had been in over 10 years. I was so happy to have found this stuff!! But, after about 2 months the zits were back and there was no stopping them. The Proactive made no difference but I kept using it. Used it pretty consistantly for about 2 years but the pimples were always there regardless. I finally cancelled. Another bad thing about back then was I ruined so many of our good towels and my clothes with bleach spots. My wife and I could not figure out what was going on. We tested the proactive on an already ruined towel and realized what I had been doing for weeks and not known it. I destroyed some expensive clothes and there is now way to fix that. Countless towels too, even a tablecloth. My wife was going to kill me. Proactive is like anything else we use on our bodies. After a while your body adjusts to it and it loses its effectivness. Shampoo, deodorant, lotions, all do the same. You have to switch things up every other month. The woman who cuts my hair explained this to me, change shampoo every other week to keep you hair clean, is what she told me. Now I do this and buy two different brands and switch back and forth. Change deodorants and toothpaste every month too. Proactive worked for a short time for me but then stopped. Hard to say if it will work for you.
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September 4, 2010

Pros:

Price
It works
Natural

Cons:

Shipping is a bit high & it bleaches towels.

This product has worked for me & I've had the gambit of acne for some 16 years. I tried a bunch of different brands out there, but when I got pregnant I decided I needed to find something more natural that might work at least for the pregnancy. I tired this over a year & a half ago & it's the best product for keeping my skin clear.
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August 23, 2010

Cons:

Made me skin very oily and they are sneaky about payment and S & H. Customer service was not helpful either.

The product will not help you acne, as it claims. They will, however, be able to get much more money out of you then your thought you would be paying by changing quantity size and the frequency that they ship you items. DO NOT SIGN UP!!! THey will automatically charge your credit card every month!
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August 18, 2010

Pros:

go rid of acne
face glowed

Cons:

made face dry
after two months while still using this product, acne came back worse. >:/

At first i LOVED it! but i just used it for my very light acne! after the two months i had moderate acne:< DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT! once you start it makes you face imune to it, so if you stop cause you don'y like it and try a different product its makes you BREAK OUT LIKE CRAZY! yes, it made my face clear at first but also makes it worse just when you think its to good to be true. Plus, its 60 dollars! for an ineffective product.
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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.