Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the most commonly used ingredients in acne treatments. It is considered a category 3 by the FDA, which means the safety is unknown. When it first came out, it was declared a category 1, but further research was conducted linking benzoyl peroxide to skin tumors in mice and hamsters. Studies are still being done to determine safety. These products are not only tested on animals, but in tests of mice and hamsters, it proved to be a skin tumor promoter. The FDA has said “the agency has determined further studies are necessary to adequately assess the tumorigenic potential of benzoyl peroxide.” And this product is in almost all acne treatments, unknown dangers and all.
It is a free radical that damages skin structure and cellular DNA. Use of benzoyl peroxide is compared to unprotected sun exposure because it removes the top protective layer of skin. BP is also NOT safe to use during pregnancy as it is unknown whether it passes through breast milk, meaning your child could possibly ingest this drug. Benzoyl Peroxide can bleach towels, eyebrows, and hair. It dries out the skin and commonly causes redness and irritation. It has been called the “miracle of acne treatments” because it can clear the skin. Besides the irritation it causes the skin, benzoyl peroxide doesn’t treat the causes of acne, it just clears it up temporarily. Once you discontinue use, you will absolutely see the acne come back.
You are better off going with an all natural product for your acne treatment. Anything natural is going to contain low to zero free radicals. Free radicals are pollutants in the air caused by chemical processes. We are exposed to over 5,000 free radicals a day from products we put on our skin, toxins in the air, and unprotected sun exposure. Everyone heard when red grapes/wine started to show results in fighting aging with the body including its benefits for your heart. New studies show that the antioxidant Resveratrol that comes from the red grapes/wine has benefits ranging from an antibiotic agent to weight loss. Resveratrol fights those free radicals we are exposed to everyday by stabilizing those agents and stopping potential damage. By fighting these free radicals, you are keeping a lot of compounds that are carcinogenic from ever being processed in our body. It also clears up the acne causing bacteria and decreases the number of bacteria on the skin and acts as a healing agent to damage done by acne such as inflammation, redness, and acne scars. Patients in a recent study in Italy showed their acne bacteria decreased by 66.7% from a Resveratrol gel applied to the skin for 60 days.
Resveratrol is also known for slowing down the aging process, which is how the product had first become known. When we first started hearing about the benefits of Resveratrol (or red wine) it was in reducing heart disease. Now studies are showing it helps prevent against neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and Huntingtons and prolong life. Naturally, the SIRT1 gene decreases as we age which is where a lot of aging diseases start. Resveratrol activates the SIRT1 gene which is the one that protects the cells and keeps them healthy. It also is showing that it speeds up your body’s metabolism which shows weight loss benefits. In a study of weight loss benefits of Resveratrol, subjects ate 13% fewer calories and sped up the Resting Metabolic Rate (the rate which our metabolism is burning fat and energy when we are not active) by 29%, just by Resveratrol doses.
Knowing what is in the products you apply to your face is your best bet in the acne world. There are many products that will clear up your acne temporarily, but can also have potentially dangerous effects. If you are looking for an acne treatment instead of an “acne break” you want to go natural and stay away from harsh chemicals like Benzoyl Peroxide. Resveratrol is has a lot of benefits to your acne, but has even more benefits to your body from anti-aging to weight loss to fighting neurodegenerative diseases.
