What is benzoyl peroxide and why is it in nearly all acne treatments?
Benzoyl peroxide is a chemical compound that the FDA has evaluated and approved as a medication for the treatment of acne. A key feature of its chemical makeup is that it is a strong oxidant or oxidizer – in essence a bleach. At the risk of oversimplification, you can think of oxidation as breaking things down. The rusting of a nail is due to oxidation. The fading of the paint on your car is oxidation. The clothing falling apart because of too much bleach is oxidation. And oxidation is the mechanism by which benzoyl peroxide breaks down the bacteria that cause acne. It is closely related to hydrogen peroxide, the old reliable part of home emergency supplies everywhere. The usefulness of hydrogen peroxide is that, when used in the cleaning of a wound, it is a wonderfully effective antibacterial agent. We’ve all seen the reassuring bubbling when it’s hard at work. Similarly, one of the key features of benzoyl peroxide is that it is one of the best antibacterials available for use in acne
