*For those of you wondering, parabens are chemical preservatives which are commonly found in cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoos....pretty much all kinds of personal care products. Some studies have linked them to cancer as they have been found in cancerous tumours, however I’m not one for scaremongering so I avoid them purely due to my allergy. You can have an allergic reaction to one specific paraben or when a specific combination of parabens are used together.
I have tried many different treatments to clear up my skin and whilst I can’t say that I now never ever get spots I have definitely found some products which keep my skin manageable and under control, without aggravating my sensitive skin. Quinoderm 5 is one of these products!
Image from Pharmacy 365
This acne cream retails for around £4, which is a hell of a lot cheaper than most “miracle” acne treatments. I usually order mine online from Chemist Direct but you can buy this in a number of places including on Amazon.The active ingredients in Quinoderm 5 are benzoyl peroxide which causes the skin to dry and peel and hydroxyquinoline sulphate which is antibacterial. The “5” in Quinoderm 5 refers to the 5% benzoyl peroxide. A stronger version is available which is just called Quinoderm Cream which has 10% benzoyl peroxide but I would highly recommend starting out with the 5%. This is strong stuff so gently does it! Alternatively Quinoderm also offer a face wash however it doesn’t contain benzoyl peroxide which for me is the key ingredient so I’ve never given it a try.
For more information on benzoyl peroxide and it’s use in acne treatment have a look at this, this and this.
I’ll finish up with the Pros and Cons of Quinoderm 5 from my own personal experience:
Pros
- It works! If you suffer from acne this may well be the only piece of information that is actually of interest to you!
- It’s affordable! As I mentioned above, a tube of Quinoderm 5 is less than a fiver and you only need to use the tiniest amount for it to be effect. A 50g tube does me for a good 3 months.
- It’s quick to use. You just slap it on your problem area/s after washing your face, bish, bash, bosh! There’s no 5 step “regime” using a multitude of lotions and potions as is the case with many acne treatments. Acne prone skin, by definition, is sensitive skin so I like to use as few products as possible on my precious little sensitive face.
Cons
- You have to keep using it for it to be effective. This isn’t something that you can use for a few months, it clears up your acne and that's it. If you discontinue use, your acne will come back.
- At first my skin became red, a little itchy and dry, however this passed very quickly and was easily remedied with a little moisturiser. I’ve found it a small price to pay for clear skin.
- The peroxide can bleach material so you have to be quite careful. I used to wipe my hands on a towel after applying Quinoderm 5 and I found that it bleached the color slightly, eek! This was easy to fix though by giving my hands a good wash after applying
- I’ve read that benzoyl peroxide can cause premature aging but I obviously can’t comment on this on a personal level. At 5% I can’t imagine it’s doing much damage and I only use it on my chin. Maybe when I’m older I’ll have a hideously aged chin and the rest of me will be fine...but I doubt it! I also only use it once a day every second day as my acne is pretty mild. It’s worth baring in mind that every time we go outside or smile we are essentially aging our skin. I don’t know about you but I am not spending my life locked in a dark room, not smiling and covered in acne!
Have any of you tried any Quinoderm products? If not,do you think they are something you would try?
Lisa x