In this blog post, we try to explore the world of OTC acne medications and treatments and try to choose the best for purpose of controlling, curing and preventing acne for good.
When we are talking about over the counter acne treatments, two major ingredients sprung to mind. First there's the benzoyl peroxide pimple cream, and there's the salicylic acid lotion.
So let's start with benzoyl peroxide...
Benzoyl Peroxide
BP is already a very popular and widely used treatment for acne. But is it effective? More importantly, is it safe to use?
Benzoyl peroxide is the major active ingredient for most of the chemical-based over the counter acne treatments. It works in a number of ways to cure acne. It kills P.acne bacteria, which causes the formation of acne. It also dries out the pimples on your skin. After years of using benzoyl peroxide to treat acne, I can say that it's only moderately effective
As a standalone treatment, you should be prepared to get disappointed by benzoyl peroxide OTC treatments. This is especially true if you are suffering from moderate to severe acne. Is it actually a good over the counter treatment for adult acne?
I can honestly say that it's not. Why? Because it's not really that effective at treating acne (since it's only targeting the acne-causing bacteria and you should bear in mind that bacterial infection is not the only factor that plays a role in the formation of acne) and it causes swelling, redness, dryness and irritation if used excessively.
To overcome problem number 2, can't we just control the dosage volume? Sure, but for it to be effective, benzoyl peroxide has to be used in a gradually increasing manner. This over the counter acne treatment also removes the top layers of your skin, which makes it necessary to use a sunblock whenever you are going outdoors. All in all, I would say you should throw your BP-based lotions or creams right NOW! (I still remember how much the irritation and dryness caused by BP HURT. I had to go back home and apply some aloe vera gel in the middle of the day!)
And then there's salicylic acid...
Salicylic acid can also be found in many acne treatment products. Nowadays, it is almost as popular and widely used as benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid in my opinion is a much better over the counter solution for acne compared to BP because:
- It's more effective.
- It does not cause irritation and dryness that easily.
- It works to cure acne in its own unique ways.
Salicylic acid is a type of beta hydroxy acids that can dissolve and get rid of dead skin cells. When you are removing dead skin cells on a regular basis, you can also control your acne. Other than that, it is anti-inflammatory, which means that it helps to reduce the swelling, redness and inflammation caused by acne.
Secret Tip to Boost the Efficiency of Your Topical Acne Treatment: Use tea tree oil after you apply salicylic acid on your face. This will improve the effectiveness of tea tree oil since the dead skin cells will have been removed and clogged pores re-opened.
The Winner: Salicylic Acid of course! If it's possible, you should throw away every Benzoyl Peroxide based products that you currently have and replace it with salicylic acid and tea tree oil.
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