Topical dose justification: benzoyl peroxide concentrations

Abstract

Background: Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is widely utilized in acne treatment as an alternative to antibiotics against which Propionibacterium acnes becomes more resistant. Objective: This overview examines BPO dose justification. Methods: PubMed, Embase® and Science Citation Index searches were conducted using the keywords “benzoyl peroxide” and “acne vulgaris”. Results: Limited experimental data are available. However, there appears no significant difference in the efficacy of concentrations from 2.5% to 10%. Discussion: The extent of free fatty acids and the percutaneous penetration of BPO may not play a critical role in acne vulgaris.

Key words::

• acne treatment
• acne vulgaris
• percutaneous penetration
• free fatty acids

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.