Longterm Risks of Benzoyl Peroxide?

I've been trying to treat my DDs stains with the volks dream rescue cream, but I think it's expired since it's a thick, grainy paste and hasn't made the slightest improvement. So, I decided I'll probably have to use benzoyl peroxide instead and was googling around to see if I could do the process with just a hair dryer since sunlight is low and I don't have a UV lamp. While googling, I found this reddit post on the monster high forum (https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHigh/comments/15slm5d/do_not_use_acne_creams_benozyl_peroxide_on_your/) that says not to use benzoyl peroxide on ANY doll for ANY amount of time for ANY reason. They say that it remains active in the plastic even years after use and will continually damage the doll, causing discoloration and even holes in the plastic. Instead, they recommend using hydrogen peroxide in the form of a 40v hair developer cream to remove stains instead.

This, of course, has gotten me very anxious. The only dolls shown in their examples of the effects in the comments are MLPS and MH dolls, which both use colorfully dyed thin, squishy plastic, but they claim that it damages all dolls, including expensive ones with higher quality vinyl. Some have said that they used the benzoyl peroxide on vintage barbies 7 years ago and still haven't seen any problems whatsoever, but several posters insist that it is still damaging the dolls and they will start to show over time.

I've never seen anyone in the DD community have issues with the benzoyl peroxide (in fact it's the most popular stain removal method), but it might be that dollfie dreams haven't been around long enough yet to see the effects? I'm a little scared to use it now...

...But on the other hand, I've never seen anyone recommend hydrogen peroxide (especially in the form of a hair developer) to remove stains either. This is the only post I've seen about using hydrogen peroxide instead of benzoyl peroxide and it was made fairly recently. I've seen the damage done to the MLPs in the past, but their plastic seems pretty different from DD plastic, so I chalked it up to that. Does anyone know anything about this? The benzoyl peroxide method has been the standard recommendation on here forever, so I'd be inclined to not worry about it, but some of the stains are around my dolls headcap and extend to the top of her forehead. The reddit poster makes it sound like the benzoyl peroxide can spread through the plastic and affect more areas than where you applied it, so I would be worried about the discoloration and damage eventually showing up on her head.

Would it still be safe to use benzoyl peroxide? Or should I just keep trying to use the dream rescue cream instead?

31 minutes ago, Roserolls said:

but I think it's expired since it's a thick, grainy paste and hasn't made the slightest improvement.

Dream Rescue is a thick grainy paste. - However, that doesn't say anything about how fresh it is. Check the plastic bag it came in, it should have a date of manufacture (it seems newer batches have a best-before date instead). The cream is most effective for about one year after manufacture. After that its effectiveness will have decreased considerably. Environmental factors also play into it a fair bit: @Xiongmao found that you can massively boost it's effectiveness through heat (but make sure to supervise the process) and in my experience, it's also more effective when the air is a bit moist and the cream can absorb some water this way.

 

I have no experience with benzoyl peroxide, but if I remember correctly, benzoyl and any kind of plastics is never a good idea...

 

 

I have used  old dream rescue but I say it tok 3 to 4 times longer for it to work. Even after that it took multiple runs to remove stains. It do wrap the infected area with plastic wrap. 

I've been in this hobby for over a decade, and the benzoyl peroxide been my go-to since practically day 1

Have never used it on the face, but all sorts of body parts been treated muchly. Without any ill effects as long as you remember to thoroughly wipe it off when done

Usually people caution against using it on colored dolls, like fantasy colors or tan skin perhaps. On basic flesh/normal and semi/white you should be just fine

8 hours ago, Roserolls said:

hydrogen peroxide in the form of a 40v hair developer cream to remove stains instead.

 

There's a guy I used to follow years ago who uses the benzoil or hydrogen peroxide method to destain heavily stained DDs (like monster-stained dolls after wearing dark colored clothes for photoshoots) overnight, using a heat/UV chamber). In my opinion, it makes total sense that heat helps because it allows the vinyl to expand, making it easier for the cream to penetrate and do its thing. 

However, the claims on the Reddit thread are of the "trust me bro" kind because he didn't explain anything or show any pictures at all on the whole holes thing. In my experience, hair developer works much faster for both destaining DD and retrobrighting, which is essentially bleaching. The downside is that it WILL burn your skin, unlike the acne cream, so I wouldn't trust the claims about it being harsher on vinyl. Of course, I'm not a chemist; I'm just speaking from my personal experience.
 

I have had a white skin (the discontinued color) part turn yellow where it was treated when I treated it with generic benzoyl peroxide.  This was coincident with treatment not a long term thing, well, I guess long term in that it didn't go away with time.  I recall seeing other posts long ago about this happening specifically to white skin.

Otherwise I've used it plenty over a decade plus to no noticeable negative effect.

20 hours ago, Tierparkzone said:

Dream Rescue is a thick grainy paste. - However, that doesn't say anything about how fresh it is. Check the plastic bag it came in, it should have a date of manufacture (it seems newer batches have a best-before date instead). The cream is most effective for about one year after manufacture. After that its effectiveness will have decreased considerably. Environmental factors also play into it a fair bit: @Xiongmao found that you can massively boost it's effectiveness through heat (but make sure to supervise the process) and in my experience, it's also more effective when the air is a bit moist and the cream can absorb some water this way.

Good to know! When I looked up video and photo tutorials on how to apply it, the cream looked smooth and liquid-y in their containers, but it might just be the image resolutions in that case. I will try to give it another shot and heat it a bit with a hair dryer.

Unfortunately though, I was an idiot and didn't keep the plastic bag, but it's probably at the end of its best by date, if not past it already, since I bought it about a year ago so the manufacturing date would probably be older than that OTL. Oh well, if it doesn't work I'll just wait until I can place another order for one (and then immediately give all my dolls with ANY amount of staining a spa treatment day to make the most of it lol)

 

Overall it sounds like benzoyl peroxide wouldn't be a big deal to use on the body parts (that could always be replaced later down the line anyway), but for now I don't think I'll risk putting it on her forehead. Thanks y'all!

4 hours ago, Roserolls said:

Unfortunately though, I was an idiot and didn't keep the plastic bag, but it's probably at the end of its best by date, if not past it already, since I bought it about a year ago so the manufacturing date would probably be older than that OTL. Oh well, if it doesn't work I'll just wait until I can place another order for one (and then immediately give all my dolls with ANY amount of staining a spa treatment day to make the most of it lol)

I have successfully used two year old dream rescue to treat small stains. - It still works, you just need several treatment sessions and therefore patience.

 

4 hours ago, Roserolls said:

for now I don't think I'll risk putting it on her forehead.

When dream rescue draws in moisture from the air, a few drops may run down. In case you go for treatment of a head, make sure to position it in such a way, that possible drops can never touch the faceup.

I've only owned vinyl dolls for 3 years so I don't know the long term effects of stain treatments.

I have noticed some stains disappear on their own over time.

5% Benzoyl Peroxide has been really successful for me. Just ignore anyone on Reddit or elsewhere says you need UV/sunlight. Heat is the important thing - UV and sunlight could cause permanent discolouration of vinyl.

Ideas for heat:

• Put bodypart in airing cupboard.
• Wrap in white tissue, then in a dark coloured cloth (a sock is good for this) and place on a sunny window or in a car left in the sun.
• To treat Kirika's terrible staining I used my storage heater. I put her bust piece in a ceramic pot and put that on top of the heater.
• Put on top of laptop or laptop PSU.
• Hotwater bottle or one of those microwaveable heat sources.

Obviously be really careful with heat sources. I think the melting point of vinyl is 212C or something so the bodypart itself is unlikely to melt.

One of the reasons I chose DD over SmD is that it's pretty straightforward to replace any damaged parts.

Other than that, make sure everybody has a bodysuit.

Hi! I’m just wondering how this has worked out for you? I’ve been treating my snow Miku for a few weeks now with DD rescue cream after accidentally touching her against black fabric (for literally five seconds).

 

im starting to lose hope and wondering the only way she’ll look not stained will be a replacement head.  

 

here’s some pics https://imgur.com/a/Kg6XSXL

Edited February 8 by lunarlemons
Words

On 10/26/2023 at 10:41 AM, Xiongmao said:

I've only owned vinyl dolls for 3 years so I don't know the long term effects of stain treatments.

I have noticed some stains disappear on their own over time.

5% Benzoyl Peroxide has been really successful for me. Just ignore anyone on Reddit or elsewhere says you need UV/sunlight. Heat is the important thing - UV and sunlight could cause permanent discolouration of vinyl.

Ideas for heat:

• Put bodypart in airing cupboard.
• Wrap in white tissue, then in a dark coloured cloth (a sock is good for this) and place on a sunny window or in a car left in the sun.
• To treat Kirika's terrible staining I used my storage heater. I put her bust piece in a ceramic pot and put that on top of the heater.
• Put on top of laptop or laptop PSU.
• Hotwater bottle or one of those microwaveable heat sources.

Obviously be really careful with heat sources. I think the melting point of vinyl is 212C or something so the bodypart itself is unlikely to melt.

One of the reasons I chose DD over SmD is that it's pretty straightforward to replace any damaged parts.

Other than that, make sure everybody has a bodysuit.

I really wish Volks would offer some sort of replacements for the limited heads.  I can understand why they don’t but it really sucks to get a stain on the limited heads and not be able to replace them unless you buy a whole new aftermarket doll. 

Also my cream is fresh ish, manufactured nov 2023

22 hours ago, lunarlemons said:

Hi! I’m just wondering how this has worked out for you? I’ve been treating my snow Miku for a few weeks now with DD rescue cream after accidentally touching her against black fabric (for literally five seconds).

 

im starting to lose hope and wondering the only way she’ll look not stained will be a replacement head.  

 

here’s some pics https://imgur.com/a/Kg6XSXL

That staining doesn't look too bad, so don't lose hope. Look what I had to destain (before and after below). I destained her in 48 hours.

If the stain isn't going then apply more heat (NOT light). In winter I put my body parts in a white ceramic bowl and stand that on top of my storage heater. In summer I wrap the body parts in white kitchen roll then put that in a dark coloured sock and put it on a south facing window.

Also benzoyl peroxide creme is easily found at drugstores. I don't think it really loses much effectiveness, but the vinyl has to be warm for it to work much more rapidly.

3 hours ago, Xiongmao said:

That staining doesn't look too bad, so don't lose hope. Look what I had to destain (before and after below). I destained her in 48 hours.

If the stain isn't going then apply more heat (NOT light). In winter I put my body parts in a white ceramic bowl and stand that on top of my storage heater. In summer I wrap the body parts in white kitchen roll then put that in a dark coloured sock and put it on a south facing window.

Also benzoyl peroxide creme is easily found at drugstores. I don't think it really loses much effectiveness, but the vinyl has to be warm for it to work much more rapidly.

Oh wow, that is impressive removal in 48 hours! I have trying a few weeks. After reading this, I reapplied the DD rescue cream with a heat lamp (yeah I bought a lizard lamp for my dolls 😂). I keep it pretty far away (maybe 10 in/25 cm). If it doesn’t work I will try and move it closer I guess. 

It's anecdotal, but my oldest single-owner DD is 15 years old now and has had no issues from cleanings with zit cream over that time.

I'm not a plastics chemist so I have no basis to judge whether the poster in question is right or wrong about invisible damage to vinyl over time. But I do feel confident in saying that if there were any issues with benzoyl peroxide, they would take longer than 15 years to appear.

On 2/9/2024 at 11:17 AM, Xiongmao said:

That staining doesn't look too bad, so don't lose hope. Look what I had to destain (before and after below). I destained her in 48 hours.

If the stain isn't going then apply more heat (NOT light). In winter I put my body parts in a white ceramic bowl and stand that on top of my storage heater. In summer I wrap the body parts in white kitchen roll then put that in a dark coloured sock and put it on a south facing window.

thanks again for the hope! they are looking soo much better with the rescue cream + heat lamp. i'm very happy with how they turned out finally 🥺