Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Topical Benzoyl Peroxide and Vitamin A Acid in Acne Vulgaris

Although systemic telracycline remains the most frequent treatment for acne vulgaris, this report indicates that more effective antibacterial therapy can be achieved topically. The effective agent, benzoyl peroxide, produced a mild desquamation: while concommitantly reducing the fatty acids in sebum more dramatically than systemic tetracycline. Bacterial cultures demonstrated the potential of this peroxide to inhibit the growth of C. acnes recovered from sebaceous follicles. Since the mechanism of benzoyl peroxide is different than topical vitamin A acid, combination therapy has been evaluated in over 1,000 acne patients. The clearing of acne lesions is now routine in the majority of these cases within the initial three months of therapy.