Uses

The main uses of benzoyl peroxide are as a bleaching agent in food products and as a treatment for acne.

Bleaching Agent:

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The most common foods bleached using benzoyl peroxide are flour, cheese, and whey. Benzoyl peroxide may also be used in the bleaching of milk when making white Italian cheeses such as Romano, Parmesan, Asiago, and Provolone. When bleaching milk the benzoyl peroxide is used alone or in a mixture with calcium sulfate, potassium alum, or magnesium carbonate.

When benzoyl peroxide is used to bleach milk, the percent is never more than 0.002% of the milk by weight. When the benzoyl peroxide is used in conjunction with calcium sulfate, potassium alum, or magnesium carbonate, the additions may not be more than six times the amount of benzoyl peroxide added. When milk is bleached using benzoyl peroxide, vitamin A is added back to the curd. This addition compensates for the vitamin A that was destroyed in the bleaching process.

No actual benzoyl peroxide is left once it is used as a bleaching agent. When it is added it reacts with other oxidizing substances such as annatto and Carotenoids. These both are added to or occur naturally in cheeses. They make the cheese the color that it is. When the benzoyl peroxide comes into contact with these substances it converts into benzoic acid.   Since only a small amount of benzoic acid is being produced no harm comes with its consumption.

Treatment of Acne:

Benzoyl peroxide, along with salicylic acid, is one of the most common treatments for acne. The most common strengths of benzoyl peroxide are 2.5%, 5%, and 10% depending on the severity of the acne being treated. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in all sorts of the different types of acne treatments. These include: bars, cleansers, creams, gels, lotions, and gels.

These treatments should be used once or twice a day or as directed on the label. While using products that have benzoyl peroxide in them, some irritation, redness, itching etc. may occur. If this happens lower rate at which the product is used. It is best to begin with the product with the lowest percent benzoyl peroxide and work to tolerance and eventually higher percentage products.

Benzoyl peroxide works as a peeling agent, and works by sloughing off skin. This helps in the removal of bacteria from the pores in skin.

Common brands of acne treatments products include Oxy, ProActiv, Clean and Clear, and Neutrogena. Here is a list of more common brand and prescription acne treatment products that have benzoyl peroxide.