Here's What Happens To Your Skin When You Use Benzoyl Peroxide For Years

When it comes to dealing with acne and breakouts on the skin, benzoyl peroxide easily tops the list of ingredients to be considered for treatment, per Insider. Thankfully, the acne treatment, which has been in existence for decades, according to Women's Health, is present in a variety of cosmetic products including gels, ointments, body washes, and face washes. Benzoyl Peroxide is safe for the skin, provided it doesn't exceed a concentration of more than 5%, per National Health Service (NHS).

Unlike many other ingredients which basically limit the growth of bacteria on the skin to help you fight acne lesions, benzoyl peroxide penetrates the skin to completely destroy acne-causing bacteria from within (via Medical News Today.) Jessica Krant, M.D., a certified dermatologist, tells Allure that "benzoyl peroxide is so effective and reliable for acne because it works via several different mechanisms at once. It is both antimicrobial, killing bacteria and other organisms, and an exfoliant, helping to unclog pores and gently debride the surface layer of skin."

Sadly, like every other ingredient, benzoyl peroxide has a few side effects like redness of the skin, flaking, and severe burns. However, this can be controlled by discontinuing the product it is contained in, or you can talk to a doctor or pharmacist about it. On the other hand, if you do not react to the side effects of benzoyl peroxide, it's important to note that using it over a long period of time may yet affect your skin.

The effect of benzoyl peroxide doesn't kick in until after about eight weeks of use, per Very Well Health. So, if you made it up to that point, it means your skin did a good job dealing with the side effects, which will likely convince you to never stop using the treatment, because, let's face it, why should anyone even consider stopping the use of this impressive treatment after seeing its remarkable benefits on their skin?

That's a fair point, alright, but prolonged use can cause your skin to become totally dependent on the treatment to fight acne, per Patient. In essence, this means that you can expect your acne and breakouts to pop right back out whenever you decide to stop the treatment. Looks like it's up to you to decide if it's worth the trouble of constantly applying benzoyl peroxide to save you the stress of worrying about breakouts now and again.