How To Get Rid Of Acne – Benzoyl Peroxide Vs Salicylic Acid

It’s not always easy to choose which products to use for acne treatment, but two of the most common ingredients in over the counter remedies are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Although each can deliver great results, there are some key differences between the two.

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) – an oil-soluble acid which chemically exfoliates the skin, helping speed up the shedding of dead skin cells. It also acts as a peeling agent to help break down blackheads and whiteheads while unblocking pores. Often it needs to be left on the skin to be the most effective.

Benzoyl peroxide helps the skin to shed more effectively too, but – unlike salicylic acid – it also has powerful antibacterial properties. This crucial difference means it kills the acne-causing P. acnes bacteria and prevents new acne from forming. Because of this, it helps to break the entire acne cycle. It’s available in wash off or leave-on formulations.

Benzoyl peroxide is the ingredient that makes PanOxyl acne washes so effective. They do not contain salicylic acid, but can be used in companion with a salicylic acid product.