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
January 4, 2015
This system is a scam and a joke.
Nothing about this product line is revolutionary or innovative in anyway. It is the basic benzoyl peroxide & salicylic acid combination that can be bought from any brand or store. Maybe this works for some, but for me it didn't prevent a single active acne spot from emerging, it only harshly scrubbed away at my skin leaving it more red than before. I think I may have scarred worse just from using Proactive. I have had much more success in lowering my sugar intake, eating more vegetables, exercising, and taking the supplements Vitamin B5, Vitamin A (retinol), L-Cysteine, Milk Thistle, Niacin and Selenium. Proactive only worsened my situation. This company needs to spend less money on advertisement and more money on researching the true causes (yes, plural) of acne i.e. low glutathione, excess estrogen, vitamin & mineral deficiences, thyroid imbalances, chronic internal inflammation. This company only cares about profiting off of the pubescent and the insecure. The actors in the their commercials have probably had one pimple in their life which was fixed by Proactive.
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July 17, 2014
Benzole peroxide will work
There are few acne products that actually produce effective results this is one of them. If you are like me and have had acne for many years then you would also have accumulated a lot of info on products and what actually has evidence of working. Benzole peroxide does work. Will it work for everyone? No.. because people's faces and skin differ. People can be severely sensitive to certain products natural or otherwise. You have to read up as much as you can. And you have to try things to see of they will work for you. This product is definitely worth it to try out. This brand ? Well you can get cheaper forms so it's up to you. So more about my skin: I'm 25 been off the pill for 1 year and 3 months have acne. Oily tzone mostly white heads on cheeks with occasional cystic sore deep ones. I followed my own regimen of bioderma sensibio h2o followed by duac and go to bed . Next morning bioderma and sunscreen. Leave the scrubbing and abrasive washes be and keep things simple. I'm not 100% clear and I have hiper pigmentation scars but I'm much better than I have ever been off the pill.
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July 4, 2014
Long term user
Well I can see that they've finally decided to hire a private answering service, unfortunately the fundamental flaw still exists, the subscription business model. Let's face it, you don't want some company to start charging you more for what you're paying on car insurance, especially for just some face wash. On top of it, they seem to be more compartmentalized than the CIA, KGB, FBI, NSA, DIA, NRO combined. Put simply, If you feel you're being overcharged, it's probably because you are. These people are horrible merchants, they won't stop lying. Please people, call your bank and issue a charge back, if enough accumulate it's tough luck for X OUT. (The sad part is this product actually works for me)...
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January 5, 2014
Seems to be doing the trick!

Pros:

Clears Skin
Easy to use

Cons:

It is drying, but then thats how it works

I am one of those unfortunate people who have suffered from mild to moderate acne since my early teen years. When I was young I was prescribed clindamycin by my derm, and it did the trick throughout my teen years upto my second year in college, when my acne suddenly became of a different variety, leaving dark red marks behind, ensuring I always wore concealer, which led to a vicious cycle. Fast forward a year out of college, and I decided to get to the bottom of my skin issues. I consulted a bunch of derms, who all prescribed me the usual suspects: Retin A, Adapalene, Tretinoin Pills, Oral Antibiotics, Benzyl Peroxide and Clindamycin. I was very clear that I didn't want to ingest anything for my acne, and both Retin A and Adapalene broke me out really badly when I first started using them. I know that they are supposed to, but for me this was so bad that I didn't want to get out of bed and go to work. However, I found that using the combination of 5% Benzyl Peroxide and 1% Clindamycin cleared my skin, including the really painful cystic acne I used to get, but it made my skin very very painfully itchy. Even with lots of moisturizer. I persisted and kept using the combination for a few months, which led to completely clear, but extremely itchy skin. I would be sitting in a meeting, and I just couldn't stop itching my face. I realized that I was going to go mad itching my skin and stopped. And within a month of stopping, the acne came back with a vengeance. I decided that I should try the non-chemical route, and tried a bunch of natural products like sandalwood powder, turmeric, tree tea oil and neem oil. Needless to say, my skin got from bad to worse, with neem oil giving me a horrendous outbreak. At this point I gave in and went back to 5% BP , which started clearing my outbreak, but was making me super itchy as usual. I was talking my my mom about my ordeal, and she suggested I just wash off the BP cream after an hour. Which is when I thought, for the very first time, are there face washes with Benzyl Peroxide in them? And that is how I found Brevoxyl. I have only been using it for a week, and its such a huge relief. I no longer have to suffer from the itchiness of the BP gel, while this facewash continues clearing my skin of pimples. I have been using it twice daily, and it does make your skin dry, so I moisturize afterwards. I am very very thankful to have found a product that is clearing up my skin after years and years!!!
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November 6, 2015
For how long brevoxyl is kept on face before washing it off ?
July 31, 2018
I visited to doc n he suggested me to use twice a day for 3 to 5 min on face n 15 min on back
October 12, 2013
Product used: The Regimen
The Regimen WILL clear your skin

Pros:

The Regimen will clear you up if you USE AS DIRECTED
Pharmaceutical grade products, very high quality
Best acne products you'll find anywhere

Cons:

BP can bleach certain clothes and fabrics, so be careful
Dry and tight skin at the beginning, but this goes away soon

Let me be clear: The Regimen WILL clear your skin. Do it EXACTLY as outlined, and it WILL clear your skin. I owe it to Dan (who founded this site, along with The Regimen) to come back and write this review. I started using his products as outlined in The Regimen in May 2008 and it changed my life. I was 23 and had tried seemingly every over-the-counter and prescription drug available. When I first came across this site I ignored it because The Regimen seemed to promote Benzoyl Peroxide, a topical drug I had already used many times. I thought "this may work for people with light acne, but BP is a basic drug, and I need something more powerful." But guess what? I was wrong. I soon realized that although I had already used Benzoyl Peroxide before, I had never used it in a way that can totally eliminate your acne. The Regimen will do that. I started to notice an immediate improvement when I used it. Still, it took a while to clear my skin. I had a few depressing setbacks and I wasn't completely clear until 4 months later. But from that point on I've been just about 100% clear. It's been 5 years of clear skin. If you do this regimen as outlined, and give it 4 months to work, you'll experience completely clear skin. Most people are totally clear before 4 months, but within that time period it will definitely work. It's been demonstrated scientifically and by thousands upon thousands of people. I'm one of them. But I can't tell you how annoyed I get by people who say this stuff doesn't work when THEY DON'T USE IT AS DIRECTED! You can't just use a product however you want and then claim it doesn't work. Use it exactly as Dan says and your skin will clear. It's as simple as that. As for the products themselves, I have always used the official Acne.org products, which are easily the best on the market. They're pharmaceutical grade and designed specifically for The Regimen. Much higher quality than what I've used before, including prescription products. Use as directed and I can absolutely guarantee you won't be disappointed. I owe it to Dan and to all of you to come back here and share this experience. Please, please, please give it a try and use as directed. You won't regret it.
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April 20, 2013

Pros:

The small tube lasts long, smell fresh, good base for make up, and the most important : IT WORKED!

Cons:

The high price! (but worth it!)
The fact it is long to see results : so be patient if you try it!! It's worth it!!
Before it started working,after 2 months of use, it kind of burned some areas of my skin(like a sunburn)! I was panicking but after 2 days it was healed, and those areas never had any other breakouts since then!! So don't panic if you feel your skin burning while using it, keep using it : it'll work!

I have been using effaclar duo every morning and night since 2 months and a half now. I first wash my face with the effaclar foaming gel, then apply the moisturizer from La Roche Posay Hydraphase Intense Light and add Effaclar Duo. I learned Effaclar Duo is better as a spot treatment so I apply it only were my face is more prone to acne. It started working for real after 2 months of use : Now my skin is also 90% cleared! My skin is also less red and feel soft!
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December 18, 2012
Product used: The Regimen

Pros:

Works fast
Very clear instructions

Cons:

Dries out skin but that's to be expected. Use the moisturizer!

My 18 year old son has had pretty bad acne on his face, chest and back and tried products with salicylic acid and has washed with soap and used facial masks. These helped only minimally. I bought this 3-step treatment kit, carefully went over the instructions with him, and he followed it exactly. His skin starting clearing in days! He gets almost no new acne, and the old stuff is gradually fading. He moisturizes as instructed and even adds the jojoba oil. What an improvement! It seems that there are basically two active ingredients out there: benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. The latter didn't work for him, but the BP, along with the cleansing instructions have worked beautifully for my son. As an added bonus: the price was right and we didn't have to go to a dermatologist.
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April 3, 2012
Product used: The Regimen

Pros:

Cleared acne surprisingly fast.
No nasty smells.
Products easy to apply.

Cons:

Drying but not overly so.
The clear up phase is stressful.

I've had cystic acne since I was 18, I'm 24 now. I got this kit just because I assumed I'd eventually need all of the products. I use the cleanser, treatment, and moisturizer twice a day. I use jojoba once a day at night. The clear up phase, where I noticed major breakouts, was very trying. Most of my problem areas are deep under my skin, and easy to hide. The products brought them to a very painful head. My skin now is so smooth. I've not had any new breakouts. I'm very satisfied.
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January 6, 2012

Pros:

Easy to order

Cons:

* Irritated my skin terribly
* Terrible customer service
* Looking for any way to get your money

I was tired of my minor to moderate acne, and really wanted to try to make it better before my wedding. I had had good results with benzoyl peroxide products in the past, so I thought trying Proactiv was worth it. It was easy to order, and arrived fairly quickly. I had paid for the expedited shipping, but it didn't arrive in anywhere near the claimed timeframe. So call #1 to customer service to refund the shipping charges. Within a week of starting use, my face was red, itchy, and just plain irritated. I cut back on use for another week, but my skin only got worse. I tried using it every other day for another week, but still, only worse. I stopped my shipments, but another shipment arrived a few weeks later. Call #2 to customer service - apparently my account hadn't been closed. I sent that shipment back immediately, but two months after that, I got a bill that my account was overdue. Customer service contact #3 (this time in email so I had something in writing), and found out that my account was STILL not cancelled. Plus, they hadn't received my return. The next bill I received was threatening sending me to collection. A final call to Customer Service, when I found out that I was still being charged for the returned shipment because it took "85 days for the warehouse to process the return", which is outside of their 60 day return policy. I returned that shipment within 30 days. So I will pay the bill for a product I never used, that didn't work for me. I would be wary to recommend anyone trying it.
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December 27, 2011

Pros:

Easy steps to follow. Great Exfoliator.

Cons:

EXTREMELY harsh for sensitive skin. Left me with burns that took weeks to clear up. Cancelling your order and stopping future shipments leaves you frustrated after dealing with sketchy excuses as to why they "can't stop the future charges" even if you cancel long before your scheduled shipment.

If you have a SEVERE acne problem and your skin is not sensitive, it would be fine. If you have problems with small blemishes and your skin is even slightly sensitive...DON'T USE THIS. Also, don't expect to seriously have a "trial" of this product. They will charge you for the next month long before your "trial" is up and tell you it will take 4-6 weeks to get your money back to you. The customer service with this company is AWFUL. They are full of excuses and very sketchy. I will NEVER try to use any thing they offer and I would NEVER suggest them to a friend.
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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.