Field Notes · January 16, 2026 · 5 min · By Quentin Asare
Benzoyl peroxide is still underrated
Cheap, available, and one of the few things that prevents antibiotic resistance.
In an era of expensive serums, one of the most effective acne ingredients costs a few dollars and sits on every drugstore shelf. Benzoyl peroxide kills C. acnes directly and, crucially, the bacteria does not develop resistance to it the way it does to antibiotics.
That last point drives how dermatologists prescribe. Topical and oral antibiotics work for inflammatory acne, but used alone they breed resistant bacteria. Pairing them with benzoyl peroxide preserves their effectiveness and improves clearance. For many people, a benzoyl peroxide wash plus a retinoid is a complete, low-cost regimen.
The two common complaints are bleaching, it will discolor towels and pillowcases, so use white, and dryness. Lower concentrations (2.5 to 5 percent) work nearly as well as 10 percent with far less irritation. Higher is not better here.
Related reading: Acne is not a hygiene problem and Diet and acne: what the evidence actually says.