Benzoyl peroxide products are popular all over the world for their ability to minimize the misery of acne breakouts. Able to break the acne cycle by dealing with the causes of pimples, it can provide relief to even the most persistent of suffers. It also comes in a variety of strengths ranging from 2% at the bottom right up to 10 benzoyl peroxide at the top.
As you’ll see by doing some research, getting the strongest product available might not be the best thing to do, as everyone’s skin is different. While one person might be perfectly fine with the strongest concentration, many others won’t be. So, how can you tell if that applies to you?
Signs That 10 Benzoyl Peroxide is Too Much
First things first, we’d always recommend that you patch-test a product like this, as it’s much better to get a reaction – if you’re going to get one – rather than across your whole face. Chances are, you’ll be fine, but if you get a reaction, you’ll be glad you didn’t jump in head first, so to speak.
Some of the other reactions you might get go something like this, in ascending order of severity:
MILD – Dry, peeling, stinging or burning skin – the stats show that this happens to about 1 in 10 people – but only when the strength is too high for your skin. It’s normal to get a little of this problem while your skin gets used to it, but if it’s not getting better, it’s probably the benzoyl peroxide concentration.
If this is you, don’t panic. Just give your skin a rest for a day or two, and then perhaps try a lower concentration. It should be enough to rectify the situation for you.
SERIOUS – swelling & blistering – happening to about 1 in every 1,000 people is the more severe type of side effect you might get from using 10 benzoyl peroxide. This is why a patch test is such a good idea, as you might be allergic to the compound.
If you experience these side effects, we recommend stopping using immediately and talking to your doctor if it doesn’t subside within a day or two. They’ll be able to direct you from there
If, however, you’re one of the very few people who experience an anaphylactic shock when they come into contact with benzoyl peroxide, a life-threatening allergic reaction could occur. It’s worth noting that this is about as likely as getting a reaction from a strawberry or a bee sting, so it’s likely that you may already know you have an issue.
Don’t Panic – 10 Benzoyl Peroxide Might Just Not Be For You
What we absolutely are not trying to do here is scare you – we’re just highlighting the need to be cautious when using anything you’ve not tried before. Severe reactions are very uncommon, and if you’re careful when using them, you should have no problem.
If you find that a 10% concentration causes you any issues, all that’s needed is for you to drop down to a 5% or 2.5% product. Start out at the bottom if necessary and work you way up. Then, it’s only a matter of time before you strike the right balance and begin enjoying the acne-busting qualities of benzoyl peroxide.
