How Hydrogen Peroxide Acne Treatment Works
If you want to treat acne, open your medicine cabinet. If it’s well stocked you should find a bottle hydrogen peroxide in there. Hydrogen peroxide is used on cuts, scrapes, and other external abrasions where harmful bacteria could begin to collect. However, it turns out hydrogen peroxide can do wonders for treating and preventing acne.
Hydrogen peroxide does more than just kill the bacteria that leads to acne. It also helps to oxygenate the skin, and this prevents future outbreaks of pimples since it destroys the bacteria by depriving it of oxygen. Your skin will be healthier, clearer, and smoother, when your pores are open and clear, because if there’s one thing we know, clogged pores lead to outbreaks of acne. If you follow this process you can’t help but have a blemish free complexion.
So, to get a little more technical, oxygen hydrogen peroxide applied to the skin converts into water. This helps release the oxygen and creates conditions that inhibit bacteria. Not only that the water formed in the process prevents acne because it drains out your pores of the skin debris that leads to an outbreak.
If your using hydrogen peroxide to clear up your acne you want to be sure it is diluted. It’s typically recommended to have a 2 1/2% to 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide. At higher concentrations, it can actually damage your skin, leaving it burned and bleached. Some products on the market contain different forms of peroxides, and it is likely that you ran across benzoyl peroxide at some point in your research. Benzoyl peroxide can be effective but it also can way too harsh on the skin. The advantage of using hydrogen peroxide for acne is that it’s much milder. It won’t have the same bleaching effect as benzoyl peroxide unless you use it in a more concentrated form. Hydrogen peroxide also decomposes quickly.
This doesn’t mean that you should go all out and use hydrogen peroxide on a daily basis. You also have to be careful to keep it away from your eyebrows and hair. Otherwise you’re going to end up with orange eyebrows and hair. But, maybe that’s what you like, so go for!
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: here are your steps to be to use hydrogen peroxide on acne.
To begin with, make sure you wash your face with a mild cleanser to get rid of any grease, grime, and makeup on your face. After drying your skin, you can now turn to the hydrogen peroxide.
First, take the hydrogen peroxide and pour some of it into a clean container. It doesn’t need to be much. Dip a cotton swab into the solution.
Second, apply the hydrogen peroxide directly onto the acne by gently rubbing the cotton swab over the surface of your skin.
Third, leave the hydrogen peroxide on for about for about 4 or 5 min.
Fourth, wash your face again to remove any residue of the hydrogen peroxide. Against use a mild antibacterial soap, perhaps one of the recommended tea tree oil or emu oil soaps. Follow this with a toner and moisturizer. The moisturizer will help your skin offsetting the dehydrating effect of the hydrogen peroxide.
And remember, don’t get carried away and start using hydrogen peroxide every day. Although it can be effective, in this case too much of a good thing can lead to a problem. In addition, follow the recommendations you find here on proper skincare, exercise, rest and nutrition.
Now go check out that medicine cabinet!