| The skin is often looked at by people as | | | | develop redness, rashes, and other side |
| an outward sign of a person's hygiene | | | | effects that can add to one's social |
| and health. Subconsciously, human beings | | | | anxiety, rather than help relieve it. |
| tend to associate smooth, clear skin | | | | Medically speaking, adults often find it |
| with being in good physical condition. | | | | harder to tolerate benzoyl peroxide, as |
| Good skin is also perceived as one of | | | | compared to teenagers. An alternative |
| the most obvious signs of physical | | | | for acne medication (and the subsequent |
| beauty. | | | | relief from social anxiety) can come in |
| The preoccupation with skin care has led | | | | the form of treatments that make use of |
| to a boom in the skin care product | | | | salicylic acid. |
| industry. These skin care products are | | | | Salicylic acid works on acne in a |
| marketed to cater to the large market | | | | different manner from benzoyl peroxide. |
| that demands a variety of preparations | | | | While the peroxide compound works by |
| to treat dry skin, control oily skin, | | | | targeting the bacterial infections |
| and even to "reverse" the aging process. | | | | behind acne, salicylic acid functions as |
| Today, manufacturers of beauty products | | | | an exfoliant. The acid works by peeling |
| have expanded their beauty line to | | | | away layers of the skin, subsequently |
| include concoctions to cure skin | | | | also peeling away the acne gradually. |
| infections. The products that are | | | | The acid is considered to be milder than |
| usually bought to control skin | | | | the peroxide, though it can still have |
| infections usually include those that | | | | side effects. Additionally, salicylic |
| are supposed to treat adult acne (acne | | | | acid is not as effective an acne |
| rosacea) and teenage acne (acne | | | | treatment option as benzoyl peroxide, |
| vulgaris). Adult acne and teenage acne | | | | simply because it lacks the raw chemical |
| are two entirely different things, | | | | potency of the peroxide. |
| though most scientists believe the root | | | | There are some dermatologists that |
| causes are essentially the same. There | | | | suggest combination treatments as a way |
| are currently no concrete findings on | | | | to relieve acne. The approach works by |
| what the ultimate cause of acne is, | | | | having people apply salicylic acid |
| though most studies point to bacteria | | | | during the day time, as it is the |
| being the most prevalent factor in both | | | | compound that has a lower chance of |
| rosacea and vulgaris problems. The | | | | inducing side effects. The benzoyl |
| single, definitive cause has yet to be | | | | peroxide is then applied at night, |
| found but the countless studies have | | | | before sleeping. This reduces the |
| shown the medical world that there are a | | | | chances that the side effects would |
| number of possible solutions to both | | | | interfere with the patient's daily life, |
| acne rosacea and acne vulgaris. These | | | | as well as reduce the chances of the |
| treatments promise to help alleviate the | | | | peroxide bleaching clothing. |
| problem of acne, as well as alleviate | | | | In your typical pharmacy, there are |
| the social anxiety that people with | | | | various treatments for acne and other |
| severe cases of acne experience. | | | | skin infections, and not all of them |
| Skin infections like acne rosacea and | | | | will contain salicylic acid or benzoyl |
| teenage acne are typically caused by | | | | peroxide. That doesn't mean that they |
| bacterial infections in the skin. Among | | | | don't work as well, it's just that they |
| the many core ingredients of the | | | | probably work differently from the |
| medications used to treat acne and | | | | aforementioned types of treatments. |
| similar bacterial infections is benzoyl | | | | Whether one decides to take an |
| peroxide. In the case of acne, benzoyl | | | | over-the-counter treatment or go for a |
| peroxide works by attacking the | | | | prescription, the important thing to |
| bacteria, effectively attempting to cut | | | | remember is that once the acne has been |
| off the acne at the source. However, | | | | effectively removed, then working on |
| benzoyl peroxide is a potent compound | | | | relieving the social anxiety can begin. |
| and people with sensitive skin can | | | | |