Does Hydrogen Peroxide Help Acne

Apple Cider Vinegar And Witch Hazel Toner With Hydrogen Peroxide:

How to treat your acne using hydrogen peroxide?

Apple cider vinegar is quite useful in treating oily and acne-prone skin. However, it is not suitable for sensitive skin to use it concentrated. Witch hazel in this toner tightens the skin and refines the pores while hydrogen peroxide lightens the acne scars. Tea tree essential oil and lavender essential oil reduces the scars and adds a nice fragrance respectively.

How to use: Take a half cup each of apple cider vinegar and witch hazel. Add two or three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to it and mix well. Add a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil. Pour the mixture into a spritz bottle. Apply the toner once or twice a day.

Most Practical Methods Using Hydrogen Peroxide To Cure Acne And Scars

Now that we know exactly what are the causes of acne and how hydrogen peroxide can be a treatment plan for common acne outbreaks, we can move on to discuss how we can incorporate it into our daily life.

Below are some examples of how you can use hydrogen peroxide and some agents with which you can combine it for better results!

Is Rubbing Alcohol Good For Acne

Don’t use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on wounds or to control oily skin or acne breakouts. They’re not effective and they can damage your skin, making the problem worse. Just use soap and water to clean a wound, and for acne, use an over-the-counter product with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

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Clean Beauty Tools And Nails

Peroxide isnt a skin care product, but it is found in certain common items, such as whitening toothpaste or mouthwash. Peroxide is also an ingredient in many tooth whiteners, says Dr. Beers. However, talk to your dentist before using whitening products, since they can cause tooth sensitivity.

You can also use it to:

Sanitize beauty and nail care tools: Use peroxide to clean nail clippers, tweezers and eyelash curlers.
Fix stained nails: Did that trendy black nail polish leave unsightly stains on your nails? Pour a bowl of warm water, add 3 tablespoons of peroxide, and soak nails for three minutes.
Make a mouthwash: Gargle with diluted peroxide to kill everyday germs in your mouth, or purchase mouthwash that contains peroxide . Dont swallow it! Stop using it if you notice mouth irritation.
Keep your toothbrush clean: Limited research supports this use, but you can clean your toothbrush by dipping it in peroxide for five minutes to kill germs and then rinsing thoroughly with water. If you choose this method, be sure to change out the peroxide dailyand be sure to replace your toothbrush at least every six months.

Hydrogen Peroxide Vs Benzoyl Peroxide

As one of the three most effective OTC ingredients for acne, you’ve likely heard of the topical antibacterial benzoyl peroxide. So how is it different from hydrogen peroxide? “Other than both having a peroxide group, making them both fairly unstable molecules, they dont really have many similarities,” Lu says.

For example, benzoyl peroxide is lipid-soluble, which means it coats the skin and doesn’t absorb into it, while hydrogen peroxide, on the other hand, is water-soluble.

When it comes to benzoyl peroxide vs. hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for acne, there is no comparison. If youre going to use something that’s nonprescription, Schultz’s recommendation is to use something that has a track record of efficacy and known side effects .

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It Could Delay Healing Of Current Acne

Research suggests that hydrogen peroxide may reduce infection, but it is harsh on the skin, causes irritation, and may delay wound healing in some instances.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, products containing concentrations of 35% peroxide, which are readily available in many stores, can cause skin irritation. At even higher concentrations, hydrogen peroxide will cause even more irritation.

Benzoyl Peroxide For Acne Scars

Acne scars are sometimes a result of an acne outbreak. This is especially the case with inflammatory acne, even if you successfully resist the urge to pick at the lesions.

Acne scars can worsen with sun exposure, so its important to wear sunscreen every day. In theory, benzoyl peroxide could also help shed dead skin cells and make the scars less prominent. However, research doesnt support this use.

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Aspirin And Hydrogen Peroxide For Acne

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Method

Wash your face with a facial cleanser and pat dry.

Combine the aspirin and hydrogen peroxide in a bowl. Use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Apply this mixture on to the affected areas. Do not apply it near your eyes.

Gently massage for about 30 seconds to exfoliate your skin.

Leave it on for about 5 minutes.

Rinse your face with cold water.

Pat dry with a towel and moisturize with a non-comedogenic moisturizer.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Aspirin has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe your skin. It also contains salicylic acid, which is a common ingredient in a lot of acne creams. This combination of hydrogen peroxide and aspirin will put an end to the acne on your skin.

What Types Of Acne Does Benzoyl Peroxide Treat

Hydrogen Peroxide For Acne

“Although it can work for all types of acne, it can be especially helpful for the red, inflamed bumps,” Dr. Garshick explains. Dr. Krant concurs, saying that while it can help with acne in all of its many forms, benzoyl peroxide is “more obviously effective with comedonal and pustular .”

In some cases, however, benzoyl peroxide can also help with cystic acne, which is the deepest, and most painful, type.

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Benzoyl Peroxide Is Stable

Benzoyl peroxide has skin-peeling and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help clear acne. Its also oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate the skins oil to work inside the pores. These properties, combined with its antibacterial ability, can help prevent acne breakouts in multiple ways.

Manufacturers typically stabilize benzoyl peroxide by combining it with other ingredients that stop it from breaking down on the skin.

Hydrogen Peroxide For Wound Treatment

Anaerobic bacteria are behind most skin infections but the presence of oxygen inhibits their growth. That is why a typical OTC 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is quite effective against this type of bacterial infection.

How to Use

Start by cleaning the affected area properly.
Take the solution and apply it on the affected area at least twice a day or as directed by your doctor.
Apply the bandage only when the affected area has dried completely.
Use soap and water to wash your hands after you apply the solution.

Avoid using peroxide on deep wounds, animal bites, puncture bites or serious burns and keep it out of the reach of children. Be sure to consult your doctor if the application of peroxide has not improved your condition in a week or so.

Tips for Safe Use

It is usually safe to use hydrogen peroxide to treat minor burns and wounds, but you should also watch out for side effects. Talk to your doctor if:

You develop redness or a stinging sensation after the application of peroxide.
You develop an allergic reaction and experience symptoms such as severe dizziness, swelling of the tongue or face, rash, and breathing difficulties.

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Recommended Benzoyl Peroxide Products

Salicylic acid comes in a variety of forms, including creams, lotions, washes, and gels. “My patients swear by Clean and Clean Continuous Control Acne Cleanser. It delivers the benzoyl peroxide deep into the pores where the ingredient is most needed, bypassing the sensitive parts of the skin that are prone to dryness and irritation. For spot treatment, there’s nothing better than Persa-Gel 10. As soon as you start to feel a pimple come up, dab a drop right on the lesion and don’t pick! As tempting as it is to try to squeeze or pick at the pimple, never touch it and your skin will thank you later. The gel will either prevent the pimple from coming up altogether, or the pimple that comes up will be half the size it would have been otherwise,” says Dr. Bowe.

Salicylic Acid Vs Benzoyl Peroxide: The Main Difference

Each of these two wonder ingredients have a key super power: Salicylic acid removes dead skin cells that are clogging pores. Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria. Since each ingredient is attacking a different acne-causing source, one option is to cover all your bases by using both ingredients in conjunction. For example, you can use a product with salicylic acid one night and a product with benzoyl peroxide the next night. It’s perfectly safe to use both over-the-counter ingredients to rid your skin of both dead skin cells and bacteria. You can also talk to your dermatologist and find out what they recommend for your skin. For example, if you suffer from hormonal acne, salicylic acid tends to be effective, while benzoyl peroxide might be all you need if you have garden-variety whiteheads.

Read on to learn more about each ingredient and figure out which is right for your unique skin when it comes to benzoyl peroxide vs. salicylic acid.

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Hydrogen Peroxides Bactericidal Properties

The relation of hydrogen peroxide with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties is a very close one. Just like we associate Ferrari with speed, hydrogen peroxide is associated with disinfection.

Before we link some studies as to how hydrogen peroxide is one of the best disinfecting agents, we first have to acknowledge how that happens.

The primary way through hydrogen peroxide can eliminate all kinds of bacteria and germs is via reactive oxygen it liberates. Hydrogen peroxide is a lab-made chemical, which contains water with additional oxygen.

This oxygen is loosely bound, and when it comes into contact with air or sun, it frizzles away germs.

This oxygen can react with vital cell organelles of the microbe, change their composition and end their virulency.

Therefore, hydrogen peroxide can be used over all kinds of microbes, from bacteria to fungi, without any fall in potency.

The dangerous bacteria Propionibacterium acnes is also included in its field of efficacy. This bacteria is one of the primary reasons for acne. P acnes infect glands from any part of your body, especially the sites that show increased sebum production. Therefore, it is the culprit for the acne on the face, neck, chest, and back.

This similar effect was observed by German scientists in their research paper. They showed how hydrogen peroxide could kill all types of germs and elevate immune responses to fight off these organisms.

Side Effects Of Using Benzoyl Peroxide On The Skin

While considered safe for most people, benzoyl peroxide can cause side effects. This is especially the case when you first start using the product.

It may be helpful to use it once a day, and then build up the frequency in application over time if your skin can tolerate it. You can also minimize side effects by starting with a lower concentration.

Talk to a dermatologist about the following side effects and precautions of using benzoyl peroxide for acne.

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Dont Put Hydrogen Peroxide On Acne

Peroxide kills germs, and you may have acne treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide. But hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide are not the same. Dont use hydrogen peroxide for acne.

As Dr. Beers explains, Hydrogen peroxide can be irritating, which can make acne worse. And it dissolves in water. So the germ-killing effects dont last long on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide forms a film on the skin so it can penetrate the pore and continue to fight acne bacteria for several hours.

Use products with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid for acne breakouts. If breakouts still wont take a hike, see your doctor.

How To Use It Safely

Is it OK to Use Hydrogen Peroxide on Pimples or Acne (Expert Advice)

First things first: We highly suggest opting for a different solution from the get-go . But if you’ve exhausted all other options and are thinking about digging out the big brown bottle, you might as well use it as safely as possible:

First, wet a cotton ball with a diluted form of hydrogen peroxide.

Use the solution as a spot treatment by dabbing the cotton ball on the blemish.

Follow with a hydrating moisturizer .

According to King, you can dab on the spot treatment up to twice a day. Just be sure not to use it for more than two consecutive days, or you might run the risk of all those skin-stripping concerns above.

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Hydrogen Peroxide As A Bleaching Agent

Hair bleaching systems contain 36% hydrogen peroxide with ammonia.2 Destructive oxidation of melanin by hydrogen peroxide in alkaline conditions forms the basis of cosmetic hair bleaching. Ferric and cupric ions in hair fibre may lead to Fenton or Fenton-like reactions, which decompose hydrogen peroxide during bleaching. This results in the generation of reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl radicals, perhydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions.22

Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe For Skin

While most people seem to be mainly concerned with the question is hydrogen peroxide good for acne? its also important to mention whether or not its a safe treatment method. You should leave the final call up to your dermatologist or doctor, but the research done on this offers a mixed result.

Hydrogen peroxide is very effective topical disinfectant. This is what makes it so good for treating acne, as it going into the pores and kills the bacteria that are directly responsible for the acne infections, causing them to clear up quickly.

The problem is that the peroxide does not discriminate between what bacteria to kill and what to leave.

Your skin produces a lot of healthy, useful bacteria that keep away other infections and can make your skin better overall. Its possible that using peroxide will lower the levels of healthy bacteria and put your skin at risk of other infections, although this is not a very common occurrence.

Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe To Put On Your Skin

So here’s the thing: Hydrogen peroxide wipes out all the bacteriaincluding the good kind. Just like in our gut microbiome, our skin also has colonies of bacteria that help with a number of processes . A strong antibacterial like hydrogen peroxide can destroy all those good, necessary bacteria without them, you may face an impaired skin barrier, as well as issues like redness and skin peeling. Of course, those with sensitive skin should probably steer clear, as those individuals already face a compromised skin barrier.

At stronger concentrations, hydrogen peroxide is especially irritating, even leading to burns or scarring for some it makes sensea cleaning solution that’s strong enough to kill viruses might be a little too heavy-duty for the delicate skin of the face, which is why if you are going to use the antibacterial, always, always, use a diluted version .

But even with a diluted product, be mindful of the side effects: According to King, diluted hydrogen peroxide can still have rather damaging and drying effects it even has the potential to bleach the skin , so those with darker skin tones should be extra careful.

What Is The Best Way To Use Benzoyl Peroxide To Treat Acne

How to treat your acne using hydrogen peroxide?

You don’t need a prescription for benzoyl peroxide. Like we said, take a stroll down the drugstore skin-care aisle and you’ll spot it everywhere. The percentage of the ingredient in over-the-counter products ranges from 2.5 to 10 percent, however, it’s not necessarily the percentage you should be focused on.

Interestingly, both Dr. Krant and Dr. Garshick maintain that benzoyl peroxide is just as effective in treating acne at 2.5 percent and 5 percent as it is at 10 percent. The difference, both dermatologists say, is that the higher percentages run the risk of irritating or drying out the skin too much. While everyone’s acne is different, in general, Dr. Jerdan advises patients to stick within the 3 to 5 percent range.

In addition to this wide range of active-ingredient percentages, benzoyl peroxide also comes in a wide range of different product types. You’ll find it in facial cleansers, scrubs, masks, spot treatments, and other types of leave-on creams. With so many options, how are you supposed to choose the right formulation and product type?

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