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Benzoyl Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of benzoyl include erythema, dry skin, and pruritus, based on 4,573 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 9.2% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Benzoyl side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for benzoyl.

1
Erythema10.6%483
2
Drug Ineffective9.2%419
3
Dry Skin6.9%314
4
Pruritus6.3%290
5
Skin Burning Sensation6.3%287
6
Acne6.0%275
7
Rash5.4%249
8
Swelling Face5.2%239
9
Skin Exfoliation4.5%205
10
Skin Irritation3.5%158
11
Off Label Use3.5%158
12
Pain3.1%144
13
Nausea3.1%142
14
Fatigue2.9%133
15
Anxiety2.8%127

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that benzoyl caused these reactions.

Report severity

50.3%Serious2,298 reports
16.1%Hospitalizations736 reports
1.7%Fatal77 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Benzoyl drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside benzoyl. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Adapalene24.2%1,106
2
Clindamycin16.3%744
3
Sodium-oxybate6.7%308
4
Isotretinoin3.8%173
5
Doxycycline3.5%160
6
Ethinyl-estradiol3.0%139
7
Erythromycin2.6%120
8
Drospirenone2.6%120
9
Tretinoin2.4%110
10
Dupilumab2.4%110
11
Minocycline-hydrochloride2.1%97
12
Adalimumab2.1%96
13
Quetiapine-fumarate1.2%53
14
Dapsone1.0%47
15
Infliximab1.0%45

Taken alongside

1
Clindamycin23.4%1,070
2
Adapalene14.0%639
3
Albuterol9.8%447
4
Acetaminophen9.3%426
5
Ergocalciferol8.3%381
6
Fluticasone7.4%337
7
Tretinoin6.9%314
8
Omeprazole6.6%300
9
Doxycycline6.5%295
10
Ibuprofen5.8%265
11
Levothyroxine-sodium5.2%237
12
Triamcinolone4.9%225
13
Cetirizine-hydrochloride4.8%218
14
Ondansetron4.6%212
15
Gabapentin4.4%201

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports benzoyl side effects

61.3% of benzoyl adverse event reports involve female patients and 28.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 68%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female61.3%
Male28.2%
Unknown10.6%

Age group

< 20.5%
2–111.2%
12–1725.7%
18–6467.8%
65+4.8%

What is benzoyl used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking benzoyl when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal PainAccidental Exposure To ProductAcneAcne CysticAcne FulminansAcne PustularAcute SinusitisAnimal BiteAntibiotic TherapyAsthmaAccidental Exposure To ProductAcneAcne CysticAcne FulminansAcne Pustular

Showing 15 of 120 indications

Benzoyl brand names and reporting trend

Benzoyl is sold under the brand name Benzamycin.

Brand names

Benzamycin1,730

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking benzoyl with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.