{"title":"Benzoyl Peroxide","entity_type":"Ingredient","slug":"benzoyl-peroxide","canonical_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/ingredients/benzoyl-peroxide","dates":{"date_modified":"2026-05-15","date_reviewed":"2026-05-15"},"mcp_eligible":true,"evidence_sources":[{"title":"AAD — Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-adult-acne-treatment","original_source_url":"https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/diy/adult-acne-treatment","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/zaenglein-2016-acne-vulgaris-guidelines","original_source_url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26897386/","source_type":"peer_reviewed"},{"title":"MedlinePlus — Benzoyl Peroxide Topical","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/medlineplus-benzoyl-peroxide-topical","original_source_url":"https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601026.html","source_type":"medical_reference"}],"product_fact_sources":[{"title":"CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser — Official Product Page","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/official-product-page-cerave-acne-foaming-cream-cleanser","original_source_url":"https://www.cerave.com/skincare/cleansers/acne-benzoyl-peroxide-cleanser","source_type":"official_product_page"}],"related_entities":[{"title":"AAD — Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-adult-acne-treatment"},{"title":"Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/zaenglein-2016-acne-vulgaris-guidelines"},{"title":"MedlinePlus — Benzoyl Peroxide Topical","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/medlineplus-benzoyl-peroxide-topical"},{"title":"CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser — Official Product Page","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/official-product-page-cerave-acne-foaming-cream-cleanser"},{"title":"Adult Acne","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/concerns/adult-acne"},{"title":"CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/products/cerave-acne-foaming-cream-cleanser"},{"title":"Benzoyl Peroxide Bleaching","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/benzoyl-peroxide-bleaching"},{"title":"Over-exfoliation Irritation","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/over-exfoliation-irritation"}],"body_sections":[{"heading":"Quick Summary","paragraphs":["Benzoyl Peroxide is an OTC acne-care ingredient used in cleansers and leave-on products for inflamed-looking pimples and breakout-prone skin. Common OTC strengths include 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. It can be useful, but it may dry or irritate skin and can bleach colored fabrics or hair."]},{"heading":"What It Is","paragraphs":["Benzoyl Peroxide is a common acne-care active found in rinse-off cleansers and leave-on products. It is often used when the breakout pattern includes inflamed-looking pimples rather than only blackheads or rough texture."]},{"heading":"Mechanism","paragraphs":["Benzoyl Peroxide is used for acne-prone routines because it acts against acne-associated bacteria and helps reduce the look of inflamed breakouts over time. In consumer terms, it belongs in the lane of breakout control, not general brightening or hydration."]}],"side_effects":[{"title":"Benzoyl Peroxide Bleaching","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/benzoyl-peroxide-bleaching"},{"title":"Over-exfoliation Irritation","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/over-exfoliation-irritation"}]}