Adapalene and Benzoyl Peroxide Combination: Has Synergistic Effect Against Inflammed Acne?

Published:August 7th, 2011

Adapalene plus benzoyl peroxide combination may have a synergistic effect against the development of inflammatory acne lesions, says a new study conducted by a group of in Laboratory of Immuno-Dermatology, University Hospital, Nantes, France and published in the July 2011 issue of the journal Experimental Dermatology.

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the follicles of the skin. In this particular skin problem, the sebaceous glands overproduce oily substances together with the occurrence of hyperketosis resulting in the clogging up of skin pores.

Retinoids and benzoyl peroxide are now both the most common mode of treatment of acne lesions because of their ability to reduce comedones, the small, sometimes white, sometimes black  skin bumps that contribute to the skin’s rough appearance, and inflmmation.

Adapalene is a type of retinoid that comes in gel or liquid form. Most dermatologists recommend the twice-a-day application of this skin product. Adapalene by itself is not a cure. It only has the ability to control acne outbreaks. However, it is known in clinical practice that the use of adapalene can even make acne worse during the first few weeks of application. However, after 8 to 12 weeks, acne can get better with continued adapalene use. Do you ever wonder why adapalene can make your acne worse during the first few weeks? You see, your acne can take up to 6 to 8 weeks  to develop under your skin. During the first weeks of adapalene use, these forming acne may push up to the skin surface and that’s what makes the acne outbreak look worse. A word of caution: adapalene should never be applied on sunburned skin, skin breaks and skin with eczema outbreak. Be sure to apply adapalene on these affected skin surfaces only after the skin problem have subsided. One more thing: Be careful no to apply adapalene in skin areas near your eyes, mouth or nose. Your eyes can get irritated with accidental application of adapalene.

Benzoyl peroxide, on the other hand is a skin medication used to treat mild to moderate forms of acne. It usually comes in a bar, cleansing solution, lotion, gel or cream. The recommended use of benzoyl peroxide is once to twice daily. Benzoyl peroxide is no magic. It may take up to 4 to 6 weeks before obvious results can be achieved. It should never used near the eyes, the nose or the mouth. Children less than 12 years of age should never use this medication unless prescribed by their dermatologist.

The mechanism behind the combined adapalene plus benzoyl peroxide is still not well understood, according to the said study  released by Experimental Dermatology. However, the researchers of this study demonstrated that the markers of acne inflammation tend to decrease more effectively with continued use of adapalene plus benzol peroxide combination compared to the use of the single treatment mode with adapalene or benzoyl peroxide alone.  However, further clinical trials involving large populations of human subjects are still needed to establish this fact.

Reference:

Experimental Dermatology; Ex vivo demonstration of a synergistic effect of Adapalene and benzoyl peroxide on inflammatory acne lesions; , Zuliani, T. et al,; July 2011

 

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