Proactiv Solution Review

It would be unreasonable to speak about acne treatments without discussing Proactiv Solution. It is without a doubt the most widespread and most commonly used acne treatment on the market today. However, with all the marketing, referrals and sales pitches found in a search there aren’t many sufficiently informative reviews available on the product. So I have decided to remedy this…

Product: Proactiv Solution
Source: http://www.proactiv.com

Let’s start with the formalities: Proactiv Solution was developed by dermatologists in the early 1990s and released as an acne treatment in 1995. The treatment kit is comprised of 3 separate solutions; a cleanser, a toner, and a repairing lotion.

Guthy Renker Corporation

The cleanser is used to clean the skin from dirt, oils, and bacteria. The toner is used to maintain this level of cleanliness and to continue to prevent the build-up of sebum and bacteria for a prolonged period of time. The repairing lotion is as it sounds; it is used to repair skin damaged by blemishes or acne scars.

Proactiv Solution has generally had a somewhat positive result against light acne for the majority of people that have used it, including me. For severe sufferers, it will sometimes reduce the severity and frequency of breakouts, although in most cases it will not clear your acne completely. For mild or light sufferers who are not against the use of non-natural products or cosmetics, Proactiv is probably a good choice of treatment.

I want to emphasize my use of the word “non-natural”. There are other treatments available that are all natural and will show similar effectiveness, though these are less known and usually either unpleasant or more expensive. If you are looking for a holistic acne treatment, Proactiv is not the product for you.

In general, the cleanser works much like an exfoliator in that it clears away the dirt, oil and dead cells on the skin surface. It is fairly effective in doing this and your skin usually feels quite small after a wash with this cleanser, but in my experience a generic face wash specifically designed as an exfoliant is usually more effective and less expensive.


The toner is applied after the skin is washed and is allowed to dry. The purpose of the toner is to apply a layer of benzoyl peroxide to the skin to continue the actions of the cleanser for a longer period of time. It works to keep pores unclogged and to prevent the secretion of excess sebum (keeping the skin oil-free). In doing this, however, you will usually find that unless you apply the toner moderately you skin will dry excessively. If applied too liberally, you will usually see white flakes/powder appear on the skin as the benzoyl peroxide continues to work in excess. For these reasons, it is important that you apply only the amount specified in the instructions, which is usually less than you think that you should apply.
NOTE: If applied properly, ANY toner in general can assist in making your skin appear healthier and more radiant.

I have found the repairing lotion to be the most beneficial solution of the Proactiv System. Perhaps there is a more effective combination of ingredients or maybe it is because it is a cream rather than a liquid, but the repairing lotion is quite effective in minimizing the inflammation of a pimple and healing the damaged skin after a breakout. You can usually see an improvement after a day or 2 of using the lotion.

I have always promoted the use of all natural products but the repairing lotion is still the most effective commonly available treatment in healing the skin after breakouts and minimizing acne scars. You can purchase the repairing lotion on its own through external sources but if you are going to do that you may as well purchase the system because the cleanser and toner are still effective products and even if you do not purchase Proactiv you should still use products similar to this (exfoliator/toner) regardless of the brand.

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT:

The active ingredient in Proactiv, as in many other acne treatment creams, is benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide was first developed by a Revlon scientist in the 1920s to treat acne and is used in concentrations of 2.5 – 10 %. This chemical is absorbed by the skin and a chemical reaction occurs creating free radicals. It works by reducing the amount of sebum released and causing the skin surface to become excessively dry, although a tolerance is usually built after 1-2 weeks of use.

I would like to mention now that if your acne is caused by dry skin, you should probably avoid this product as you will more likely be negatively effected. This is because for some people a burning, itching or irritating sensation occurs. If you try this product and your skin has an adverse reaction you should stop treatment immediately and seek medical/dermatological assistance.

That being said, the benzoyl peroxide concentration in Proactiv is only 2.5%. Research has shown that this concentration is far better tolerated.

This substance will generally reduce the severity of your acne while it is in use but once the benzoyl peroxide ‘wears off’ you will notice an influx of blemishes. This effect is much like that of antibiotic medication. If used frequently your body becomes accustomed to it and processes within the body are altered to match this input. However, once treatment is stopped your body is again forced to change processes and this usually leads to an inverse effect. With benzoyl peroxide, this is because the sebum creation is slowed and acid is forced to build up within the skin rather than being discharged and once the benzoyl peroxide wears off a larger amount of sebum is then produced and needs to be released.

In addition, benzoyl peroxide is used to dye hair and has been found to bleach the colour in clothing it comes into contact with. Always be careful what you are wearing and what you touch after applying a Proactiv product, and always wash you hands thoroughly after application to avoid damaging your clothes – as you may or may not know, bleached clothes cannot be repaired.

All up, despite the cautions, the Proactiv System is an effective treatment for acne only for those with mild acne, and sometimes in worse cases. The drying of the skin is an issue for those with already dry skin and for those who apply the system too liberally. Other than that, and the fact it is not a natural treatment, you should usually see an improvement after using this product, even it is just a small one.

Guthy Renker Corporation

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