Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid – Treatment for Acne

Keratolytic therapy is a medical procedure used to remove excess skin.  It is used for the treatment of acne and other skin disorders.  It is very good for use on small areas and is an effective forehead acne treatment. Salicylic acid is also very good on chin acne. In this therapy an acid like Salicylic acid is applied to the lesions to loosen the epidermis and shed the outermost layer of skin.  While primarily used to induce skin turnover, this procedure also has a moisture retention quality that is helpful in treating dry skin.

Salycylic acid in low concentration can be purchased over the counter and is safe for the treatment of acne.  Typically the concentration this acid on ointments must be within 2% of the mixture.  Salicylic acids are used for various other skin disorders like warts and dandruff.  Each condition requires a different concentration of the acid.  For acne treatment, avoid products that contain a higher concentration as this can be more damaging to the skin.

For mild and medium cases of acne, Salicylic acid can be an effective application.  They are not used for extensive cases of acne.  Increasing the concentration will not be helpful, rather it may be damaging to the skin.  This acid works by helping “clean up” skin pores through exfoliation.  It assists in the turnover of skin cells and removes collected material that is plugged inside follicles that causes acne.  Salicylic acid should not be confused with Benzoyl Peroxide which is a cleaning agent.  While Salicylic acid removes dirt inside the skin pores, Benzoyl Peroxide assists in cleaning bacteria located in the skin.  Both solutions can be used simultaneous with each other. Thus once acne causing bacteria is removed from the pores by the former, the latter solution can be used to clean the affected area by killing the bacteria.

Many physicians would prescribe using both solutions for treating acne.  In fact, both are available over the counter and are used in together.  It is important however that the use of Salicylic acid in acne treatment should be used over a lengthy period of time to get the best results.

If you are prone to acne breakout, the use of Salicylic Acid with Benzoyl Peroxide can be used for acne prevention.  Make sure you get the lowest concentration of the acid if you purchase it over the counter for prevention purposes.  Using a high concentration will irritate the skin.  The acid solution is a common and effective way of preventing acne breakout but if you experience any skin irritation, discontinue its use and consult an expert before applying it again.