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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Benzoyl Peroxide vs Centella Asiatica (Cica): Benzoyl Peroxide has the stronger overall evidence (9 vs 5/10); the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Benzoyl Peroxide wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Shared outcomes (1)
Outcomes where both Benzoyl Peroxide and Centella Asiatica (Cica) have evidence — compare verdict strength side-by-side.
Topical OTC use. Benzoyl peroxide is used at 2.5-10% in gels, creams, and washes, applied to acne-prone areas once or twice daily; lower strengths (2.5-5%) are usually as effective as 10% with less irritation. There is no oral or systemic dose — it is not ingested. It is often combined with a retinoid (e.g. adapalene) for greater effect. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
Any time of day
Leave-on gel/cream (2.5-5%) or a fixed combination with a retinoid
Topical cosmetic only. Centella/cica is used in serums, creams, and balms (often standardized to madecassoside/asiaticoside) applied to clean skin once or twice daily, popular for soothing and post-procedure care. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose in this cosmetic context — oral gotu kola is separate. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
Any time of day
Leave-on serum, cream, or balm standardized to centella triterpenes
Throughout
4-12 weeks
Throughout
First weeks
Throughout
2-8 weeks
1-4 weeks
12-24 weeks
Topical benzoyl peroxide for acne.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2020) · Systematic review
Pooled 120 RCTs (29,592 participants); BPO more effective than placebo/no treatment for participant-reported improvement (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.45)
Efficacy of topical treatments for mild-to-moderate acne: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.
J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol (2025) · Meta analysis
Network meta-analysis of 35 RCTs (33,472 participants) comparing nine topical acne agents
Adapalene-benzoyl peroxide, a fixed-dose combination for the treatment of acne vulgaris: results of a multicenter, randomized double-blind, controlled study.
J Am Acad Dermatol (2007) · Rct · n=517
517 subjects randomized double-blind to adapalene-BPO, adapalene, BPO, or vehicle for 12 weeks
Clinical, biometric and structural evaluation of the long-term effects of a topical treatment with ascorbic acid and madecassoside in photoaged human skin.
Exp Dermatol (2008) · Rct · n=20
Randomized double-blind study (n=20) of topical 5% vitamin C + 0.1% madecassoside on photoaged skin over 6 months
Randomized-Controlled Trial Comparing Safety and Efficacy of Repairing Balm vs Topical Antimicrobial for Post-Procedural Wounds.
J Drugs Dermatol (2025) · Rct · n=60
RCT (n=60) after cryotherapy for actinic keratoses: a non-prescription balm with panthenol, madecassoside, and metal salts vs a topical antibiotic
A Systematic Review of the Effect of Centella asiatica on Wound Healing.
Int J Environ Res Public Health (2022) · Systematic review
PRISMA systematic review identified only four clinical trials meeting inclusion criteria — a small human evidence base
Benzoyl Peroxide has a higher evidence score (9/10 vs 5/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.