Benzoyl Peroxide Wouldn’t Be Benzoyl Peroxide Without Dr. Fulton

Anyone who’s ever had a pimple (hello, everyone) has likely used benzoyl peroxide. This Gold Standard is the most widely used acne treatment around the globe. But it wasn’t always that way. Without the intervention of Vivant formulator Dr. James Fulton, everyone’s favorite acne fighter may never have made it past the first round. 

The German chemist Loevenhard first synthesized Benzoyl peroxide in 1905 for things like bleaching fabrics and flour. By 1930, BP was emerging as an acne treatment. It had the ideal properties for clearing skin—keratolytic, moderately comedolytic, and powerfully antibacterial—but there was a problem harnessing them.

Benzoyl peroxide is famously unstable. It’s sensitive to heat, light, shock, friction, and (at the time) could even be combustible under the right circumstances. Any of the above (especially the last one) would neutralize its effects. To get past the stability issues, manufacturers distributed benzoyl peroxide separately from a base. The contents of the two packages required mixing immediately before use. Every use. Not ideal if you’re not a chemist or you’re in a hurry.

Enter Dr. Fulton. It was 1970, and he’d been hard at work becoming the world’s foremost acneologist. He’d already co-developed Retin-A® and introduced the topical antibiotic erythromycin. His work with benzoyl peroxide confirmed that better results could be achieved with the topical application of BP than with the popular acne treatment of the day, tetracycline (an antibiotic taken orally). Benzoyl peroxide created a mild peeling effect, inhibited the growth of acne bacteria, and reduced inflammation, and controlled sebum production. There was just that one little problem: stabilization.

Dr. Fulton discovered the perfect stabilization vehicle, which made it possible to store benzoyl peroxide for long periods without degradation of its beneficial components.

Dr. Fulton’s breakthrough allowed benzoyl peroxide to become the rock star ingredient you know and love today. Dr. Fulton’s patented benzoyl peroxide gel gives Vivant’s BP products their superior performance. See Vivant’s Gold Standard collection of benzoyl peroxide products.

Benefits of Benzoyl Peroxide 

• Kills acne bacteria
• Decreases inflammatory lesions
• Rids follicles of excess dead skin cells
• Peels out impactions
• Controls excess sebum production
• Prevents future breakouts
• Does not create antibiotic resistance

What’s the Best Way to Use Benzoyl Peroxide? 

Vivant makes a 3% BP Acne Wash and a 3% BP Exfoliating Cleanser. The wash is excellent for acclimating skin to benzoyl peroxide or for skin that is a little more sensitive. The exfoliating cleanser provides a more aggressive treatment using bio-degradable microbeads to slough away dead cells and encourage cell renewal. You may prefer using both on alternating days.

Use the benzoyl peroxide wash or exfoliating cleanser twice a day and, for a performance boost, make it part of your morning shower. Work the wash or cleanser into a lather in the shower and let it sit on your face while you complete the rest of your shower routine, then rinse away. You can also use it on your back and chest.

For very oily or resistant skin, couple the cleanser with Vivant’s 10% BP Gel Medication to further reduce oil in the skin. Avoid spot treating, which leaves bacteria in surrounding areas to spread. The gel should be applied to the entire face from hairline to just under the jawline. Apply 10% BP Gel Medication underneath the detoxifying Sulfur Clay Mask once a week for some extra firepower against stubborn breakouts.