Acnecide Wash Gel 50g/100g/200g/300g

How to use acnecide

• Wet the area you wish to treat.
• Wash your hands before application and put a small quantity of wash into your hands and begin to wash the affected area.
• You should apply it for around 1 or 2 minutes, before thoroughly rinsing with water and patting dry. It is vital that you do not rub the area to dry your skin as this may cause further damage or irritation
• Try and use an unwanted towel when drying off as the wash can be known to cause slight discolouration on fabrics.
• After application, thoroughly wash your hands and securely replace the cap.
• Avoid contact with any sensitive areas of the body including your eyes, mouth and angles of your nose. If this product enters the eyes, wash thoroughly with water.
• Overuse of Acnecide wash will not increase its effectiveness, but can increase the likelihood of skin irritation.

How long before Acnecide wash starts working?

Treatment can take anywhere between 4-8 weeks. You should start to notice a positive change within the first few weeks. If you do not notice any difference in the appearance of your skin after 8 weeks, please contact your GP or pharmacist for advice.

Side effects that may affect more than 1 in 10 people (Very common) include:

• Redness on skin
• Skin feeling dry
• Slight peeling of skin
• A burning sensation on the skin

Side effects that may affect less than 1 in 10 people (Common) include:

• Itchy skin
• Painful sensation on skin
• Irritation to skin

These side effects are often reversible by reducing frequency of use or stopping the treatment completely. Nonetheless, we suggest getting in touch with your pharmacist or GP if you are experiencing any of the above.

If these side effects are occurring at a more alarming rate, stop using this treatment immediately, and get in touch with your pharmacist or GP.

When should you not Acnecide wash?

• You must not use this treatment if you have an allergy to benzoyl peroxide or any other active ingredients in this medication. The ingredients contained in this medication can be found here.
• This treatment should not be applied to damaged skin
• If this treatment is causing swelling or blisters, you must stop applying it and contact your GP or pharmacist.
• This medication should not be used at the same time as any other topical acne treatment, unless your GP or pharmacist has specifically said to do so.
• This medication should not be used by anyone pregnant or breast feeding, unless instructed by your GP or pharmacist. If using while breast feeding, avoid application in any areas which may allow your child to be exposed such as your chest.

UV exposure 

You should avoid exposure to sources of UV light including sunlight and sunbeds. This is because the active ingredient, benzoyl peroxide, has keratolytic properties which helps to exfoliate the outer layer of the skin and remove dead skin cells and therefore making it more vulnerable to the effects of UV radiation.

Avoid using any medicines that have peeling, drying or irritant effects on the skin whilst using Acnecide cleanser and inform your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you have recently or are currently taking.

If you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, do not use this medication unless your doctor has told you to do so.

You should not apply acnecide wash onto your chest if you are breastfeeding and seek advice from your GP or pharmacist about using this product whilst breastfeeding.

• NHS UK. (n.d.). Benzoyl Peroxide. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/benzoyl-peroxide/