Hey guys, my name is Dr. Sam.
And in this video I wanted to show you
how to apply benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel
correctly to your skin -
which is this product here!
Many patients I see are struggling to know
how to use benzoyl peroxide and
like a lot of people, I had very bad acne
as a teenager but when I used benzoyl
peroxide it caused my skin to go red,
dry, peel and it was a horrible mess!
So I gave up
and now as a doctor I understand
how to use it properly which I'll share
with you in this video.
Basically, benzoyl peroxide is a great product.
1. It works as an antiseptic so
it kills bacteria on your skin and those
bugs can't become resistant to benzoyl
peroxide like other acne treatments do.
2. It's an anti-inflammatory,
so it helps calm down large and inflamed,
angry pimples.
3. It also softens and removes the outer layer of
your skin revealing the beautiful skin
underneath - awesome!
But there are a couple of tricks to using benzoyl
peroxide correctly, so that you get the
most out of the acne treatment.
It comes in different forms so there are:
rinse off cleanses, there are gels or creams.
Gels are better if you have oily skin.
Rinse off cleansers are better to use if you
have acne on your trunk or if you get lots of
irritation - if you've used benzoyl peroxide before,
you can apply it and
then wash it off straight away.
It doesn't matter which form you choose but
you must start with the lowest strength -
i.e. 2.5% or your skin is gonna go nuts!
In full disclosure I started out with the
highest strength I could get my hands on
as I thought that that would work the
fastest and it was a rookie mistake.
So most people only need the 2.5% strength.
Now I'm gonna demonstrate how I
get my skin looking fabulous with 2.5% gel.
I'll show you step by step what to do.
So when you first start you want to
wash your face with a gentle skin
cleanser. I personally love
"Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser" and I use
it just with some cotton makeup pads
and this removes makeup and doesn't cause
irritation because I've got really
sensitive skin.
I would recommend for you to do this at night time.
So let's get started!
Then you want to wait for your skin to
be touch dry which is
round about five minutes.
And apply a small amount of benzoyl peroxide 2.5%
in a thin smear to the areas of your skin
where you get the acne.
It doesn't have to go all over.
For me - that's my t-zone.
About that much.
You want to apply this really gently,
don't be too rough with your skin.
The first time you use it you might feel a
mild burning sensation and notice some
redness.
Don't worry, it will pass, that's really normal.
But leave it on for about
two hours.
Then you want to rinse your skin with some
lukewarm water, not too hot.
Just to get off that Benzoyl Peroxide
and just pat it down gently
with a dry towel.
The next part is just applying a non oily moisturizer.
And again, I really, really love the
Neutrogena - it's a hydro boost which has
got hyaluronic acid in it.
So just a little bit of that, afterwards.
Then you can go to bed and get some
beauty sleep.
And in the morning wet your skin,
apply a daytime moisturizer -
I'll link this in the description below and a
high SPF sunscreen.
I really like this sunscreen product
because you can use it under your makeup
and it's great for sensitive skin.
If the first time has gone well,
you reapply it every night for
two hours for another three nights.
After those three nights, you can leave
on the benzoyl peroxide all night and
have a party.
In the first few weeks of using benzoyl peroxide
you might get an increase in peeling.
If that happens, stop using it for a few days
and apply a light non-oily moisturizer twice daily.
If you don't know what moisturizer to
use, just use any moisturizer that says
"non-comedogenic" on the back
and try again and see with the benzoyl peroxide
if it works.
Remember benzoyl peroxide can bleach
your clothing, so make sure the benzoyl
peroxide has completely dried before
your skin touches clothing, towels or bedding.
You can use something special to
cover it and if you get swelling or
blistering of your skin please stop
using benzoyl peroxide, as you've
probably developed contact dermatitis from it.
Just remember to be patient as
your acne will slowly improve but it may
take a few months.
Try to persevere as benzoyl peroxide is working
behind the scenes, unclogging your pores and
killing bacteria on your skin.
It just takes some time.
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of my other videos on skin treatments and
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Thanks for stopping by :)