Panoxyl 4% Acne Creamy Wash

PanOxyl 4% Creamy Wash is the gentler of the two PanOxyl washes, and for most people it is the better place to start. It differs from the 10% foaming wash in two ways: the lower strength, and the creamy rather than foaming base, which suits skin that is dry, sensitive or already irritated by other acne treatments. Stepping up to 10% later is easy. Recovering from a fortnight of raw, flaking skin is not.

Specs

• Active ingredient: Benzoyl peroxide 4%
• Form: Creamy wash, non-foaming
• Used for: Acne-prone skin, face and body
• Suits: Drier or more sensitive skin
• Brand: PanOxyl

Benefits

• Benzoyl peroxide acts on the bacteria involved in acne through an oxidative mechanism, so resistance does not build up as it can with topical antibiotics
• 4% is often as effective as 10% in practice, because tolerability decides whether a treatment is actually used every day
• The creamy base is less stripping than a foaming one, which matters for skin already dried out by other actives
• As a wash rather than a leave-on, contact time is short, making it gentler than the same percentage in a gel
• A moisturiser afterwards is essential rather than optional with any benzoyl peroxide product

How to Use

• Wet the area, work in the wash and leave it on the skin for one to two minutes
• Rinse thoroughly and pat dry
• Start every other day and build up to daily as your skin tolerates it
• Follow with a fragrance-free moisturiser, and use SPF during the day
• Benzoyl peroxide bleaches fabric. Use white towels and pillowcases and rinse well before dressing
• Avoid the eyes, lips and nostrils. See a doctor if acne is severe, painful or scarring