Can acne be treated with Benzoyl peroxide and Retinol?

Question

Hi doctor,

I used Benzoyl peroxide and Retinol with my acne before with oral medication, and it cured my acne, but I stopped using these products. I have also used clindamycin in past for the same acne problem. Is it safe to use this medication again even if I did not take oral medication?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Yes, you may continue using Retinol and Benzoyl peroxide in the absence of oral medications, with few changes to be made in the mode of administration. As for Retinol, in the absence of active acne, it is recommended to be used only once in three days as it has peeling actions, and using it daily may be too harsh on your skin. Nevertheless, it is a great skin care product for maintaining your skin. On the other hand, Benzoyl peroxide is usually used only on active acne. However, it is not a strong medication, which would not be harsh on your skin. In the absence of active acne, its use is not required as it is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, which helps reduce the appearance of active acne. If any new acne lesions appear, you may continue using them. Benzoyl peroxide face wash may be used instead regularly to prevent further acne. I hope you find it helpful. Kind regards.