How does it work?

Epiduo gel contains two active ingredients, adapalene and benzoyl peroxide, both of which are medicines used to treat acne.

Adapalene reduces the growth of the keratin surface skin cells that can block pores.  This helps to unblock the pores and sebaceous glands (glands which secrete sebum) and as a result the sebum can escape.  This reduces the formation of comedones (blackheads) and spots.

In addition, adapalene increases the turnover of the skin cells, which aids the natural exfoliation of the outer layers of skin.  This also helps to unblock pores and decreases the formation of comedones and spots.

Benzoyl peroxide is a type of medicine known as a keratolytic.  This means that it works by breaking down keratin, a protein which forms part of the skin structure.

When you apply benzoyl peroxide to the skin it causes the top layer of skin cells to break down and shed.  This helps break down comedones and unblocks the sebaceous glands.  It also helps to prevent the formation of new comedones.

Benzoyl peroxide also has an antibacterial action and directly kills bacteria on the skin, as well as reducing their numbers by decreasing the production of sebum (the food supply of the bacteria) by the sebaceous glands.

These two medicines are combined in this gel to have a complementary effect on acne.  Benzoyl peroxide reduces the oiliness of the skin immediately, but it may take up to four weeks of treatment before the full effect of both medicines on the acne is seen.