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Acne Treatment with Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid occurs
naturally in Willow Trees and Wintergreen Trees. It is used
traditionally as an anti-fungal agent for the treatment of
warts and corns. For the treatment of acne, Salicylic acid
doesn’t help much in killing those acne-causing bacteria.
Salicylic acid only helps in exfoliating the skin. Exfoliation
makes the skin peel at a faster rate which unblocks the pores
of the skin. Open pores reduce the growth of acne-causing
bacteria by starving them with trapped sebum. Since salicylic
is oil soluble, it can penetrate deeper into the skin compared
to Alpha-Hydroxy Acids. This makes Salicylic acid more effective
in treating oily skin with lots of whiteheads, blackheads
and acne breakouts. For people with dry skin, Salicylic is
not recommended not unless you use a good moisturizer like
Panthenol or Hyaluronic acid. Salicylic acid usually makes
your skin dry 2 to 3 days after initial application; it is
then followed by mild to moderate peeling of the skin. After
the peeling or shedding of the skin is completed, a smoother
and younger skin is fully exposed.
Precautions
and
Side Effects:
Do
not use salicylic acid without consulting your doctor if you
are pregnant or could become pregnant during acne treatment.
This acne medication is not intended to be used on children.
Topical salicylic acid may produce burning sensation after
application especially at higher concentrations. Some may
experience redness, swelling, itching and sun sensitivity.
Higher concentrations may burn the skin.
Effectiveness:
Beta-Hydroxy
Acid works best at concentrations of 1% to 2% with an acidity
level of pH 3. As the pH increases or their acidity decreases,
the effectivity of beta-hydroxy acids decline.
(Source:
Cosmetic Dermatology, October 2001, pages 15–18).
Both
inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesion counts were
decreased in proportion to the duration of treatment. The
side effects were tolerable in most cases, and all patients
were pleased with their peel results. Stratum corneum hydration,
skin surface lipid, skin pH, and transepidermal water loss
were unchanged from baseline levels.
(Source:
Ho-Sup Lee MD, Il-Hwan Kim MD (2003) Salicylic Acid Peels
for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris in Asian Patients Dermatologic
Surgery 29 (12), 1196–1199.)
Product Information:
Salicylic acid is available in cream, lotion, gel and topical
solution form at 0.51% to 3% concentration. Salicylic acid
works best in concentrations of 1 to 2%. (Brand Names: Diprosalic®,Duofilm®,Coco-Scalp®,Neutrogena®)
Reviews and Comments:
“I find salicylic acid too drying on the skin even at
0.5% concentration when used daily. The good thing about it
is that this acne medication can make your skin glow after
exfoliation. A good moisturizer is needed if you want to use
this acne product.”
References:
1. Desai A, Moy LS. The role of -hydroxy acids in the treatment
of photoaging. Photoaging. Marcel Dekker, 2004: 117-140.
2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR601247
( updated 2007)
3. SALICYLIC ACID - A Plant Hormone Hayat, S.; Ahmad, A. (Eds.)
2007, XV, 401 p., Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-5183-8
4. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a607072.html
(Last Revised - 11/01/2007 American Society of Health-System
Pharmacists, Inc. Disclaimer )
Last
updated: May 18, 2008
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