Everyone’s skin is different. Whether it’s light, dark, sensitive, a combination or any other possibilities, you must find your level when using acne products. For some, 4 benzoyl peroxide products won’t be quite enough, whereas for others, it will be too strong.
So, to help you in this regard, we look at how to spot the signs that your BP wash doesn’t offer enough power to rebalance your skin and return your clear complexion.
Do I Need to Move Up From 4 Benzoyl Peroxide?
If your 4 benzoyl peroxide is too strong, then your skin will feel excessively dry and itchy, but it works both ways, as you could be wasting your time with a product that isn’t strong enough. Let’s examine the symptoms that you’re using a product that lacks acne-fighting power.
- No signs of improvement – If you’ve used your BP wash for several weeks and there’s no discernable improvement in the condition, you should consider increasing the concentration to a 10% option.
- No redness or dryness – While it’s not good to have too much dryness, if you have none at all after using BP washes, it points towards ineffectiveness. A little dryness shows that the product is doing its job, so something isn’t quite right if it’s not there.
- Your acne spreads – If your acne spreads to other parts of your face, then it’s not being controlled properly. Naturally, if you’re using the product in the right way, it’s the only real explanation – so long as you’re avoiding picking those zits.
- Acne goes, but then comes Back – Another sign that you need to move up in concentration is when your acne seems to improve but then reverts back to its previous condition. This points toward a product that doesn’t have enough power to keep your acne at bay.
- Your deeper acne doesn’t improve – Nodules and cysts need more active power than milder forms of acne, like blackheads and whiteheads. So, if your smaller zits are clearing up, but there’s no change to your deeper issues, this again is a sign that you need to use a stronger wash.
- Slow healing – The healing process should continue as it normally would, no matter what you’re using on your skin. This means that if you’re finding that your zits are slow to heal, what you’re using might be too weak for effective treatment.
Considering Moving Up From 4 Benzoyl Peroxide Carefully
If you’re not getting the results you expected when using BP wash products, you obviously need to do something about it. When it comes to products like benzoyl peroxide, you have to think carefully about going up in concentration and be absolutely sure it’s the right thing to do. If you’re not 100% sure, it’s always worth talking to your dermatologist first.
That said if you have two or more symptoms from the list above, there’s a high likelihood that you need to move up to a higher product, like 10% BP wash. If that ends up being your choice, be cautious, feel your way in and pay attention to what your skin does after application.
The moment you start to realise that your results are improving and you see the telltale signs like mild dryness and diminishing breakouts, you’ll know you’ve hit the sweet spot.
