Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid derived from plant origin. Its extract is often used in cosmetics and medicines. It is known to treat several skin conditions such as acne, warts, calluses, corns etc. It is often the main ingredient in acne skin care products. Salicylic acid face wash is particularly popular for its deep cleansing and skin rejuvenation properties. This wash is often touted as the most effective acne removal product. Let us find out what makes salicylic acid the most sought after ingredient for acne control products.
How Does a Salicylic Acid Face Wash Work
Salicylic acid is basically an acid solution, which gets rid of the dead cells on the outermost layer of the skin. The removal of dead skin reveals a fresh and healthy skin underneath. People with acne are often prone to over secretion of sebum in the facial region. The sebum then gets mixed with dead cells and dirt which offers a conducive environment for bacterial growth. This eventually results in acne formation. Due to the cleansing properties of salicylic acid, there is no accumulation of dirt on epidermis. Also the dead cells are gently removed, thereby revealing fresh skin underneath. However, salicylic acid does little to prevent the bacterial growth. Hence, one must not stop using face wash with salicylic acid even after acne vanishes. The frequent use of this product inhibits the accumulation of dead cells and dirt. This eventually prevents bacterial growth, thereby reducing the formation of acne. Thus, salicylic acid skin care is indeed a great way of reducing the occurrence of acne.
Choosing Appropriate Salicylic Acid Treatment
Salicylic acid treatment is available in over the counter (OTC) form at drug stores. The face wash can be mostly bought from drug stores without producing a prescription. OTC treatments have lower doses of salicylic acid, hence can be safely used without a prescription. Most of the products available in market contain 2% salicylic acid formulation. If OTC salicylic acid treatments do not have any effect on your acne, you can go for prescription strength salicylic acid medications by procuring a prescription from a qualified dermatologist. Prescription strength cleansers have higher doses of salicylic acid, which effectively fight acne. Due to the higher doses, these medications may induce some undesirable skin ailments. Hence, it is a must that you get your skin examined by a dermatologist and let him decide if salicylic acid treatment would suit your skin or not.
Side Effects
Extended use of salicylic acid leads to a number of health hazards. Salicylic acid is a form of aspirin which gets absorbed in the body through medicines and other treatments. The rate of absorption varies according to the body parts and is maximum for face. Dry skin and skin irritations are the most common side effects of salicylic acid face wash. However, these side effects are of mild consequence and usually disappear if you use good quality moisturizers. It is recommended that you do not interfere salicylic acid products with other topical treatments for acne. This may aggravate the dryness and skin irritation. More serious side effects of salicylic acid include Reye's syndrome, which affects the functioning of brain and liver among other organs. If you exhibit any of the symptoms of side effects, you may have to discontinue the use of the product and consult a doctor.
The benefits of salicylic acid outweigh its side effects. Hence, it is alright to go for this treatment with the green signal of your dermatologist. He may be able to recommend you the best product for acne considering your individual skin type.
