Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid has an exfoliating effect on the skin. It can also remove excess sebum (oil) and reduce sebum production, making it an excellent ingredient for unclogging pores. Plus, salicylic acid has mild anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
The OTC salicylic acid was available at 1-5% concentrations used for gentle exfoliation and breakouts treatment. Salicylic acid 2% serum is for you if you have acne prone-skin and excessively oily skin. It helps reduce and prevents acne blemishes, smooth skin texture, and keeps the oils in check.
2% is also considered the optimal amount for everyday use as it won't cause irritation or unwanted side effects. Word of caution, if you have a skin type that is sensitive, dry, or prone to certain skin conditions such as eczema, avoid using salicylic acid.
When applied to the skin, salicylic acid may work by helping the skin to shed dead cells from the top layer and by decreasing redness and swelling (inflammation). This decreases the number of pimples that form and speeds healing.
Is it okay to use salicylic acid every day? While it is okay to use salicylic acid every day, it could cause irritation. Many dermatologists, therefore, recommend using the acid in moderation, beginning by applying it three times a week and working up from there.
Use Products With Salicylic Acid
One go-to ingredient for eliminating blackheads is salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid that increases cell turnover and unclogs pores, says Saedi. Suozzi adds that the acne treatment can help dry active acne lesions because it is a mild chemical irritant.
How often should you exfoliate if you have oily or acne-prone skin? These skin types can exfoliate two or three times a week if their skin can tolerate it. Opt for products containing salicylic acid, notes Zeichner, as it's oil-soluble. (These will mainly be of the chemical variety.)
Do I need to exfoliate if I use salicylic acid? No, not really, this is because the way salicylic acid works is as an exfoliant itself. As I have mentioned already, it is an ingredient that is readily found in all manner of skincare products, from face wash to serums.
Salicylic acid has been used to treat various skin disorders for more than 2,000 years. The ability of salicylic acid to exfoliate the stratum corneum makes it a good agent for peeling. In particular, the comedolytic property of salicylic acid makes it a useful peeling agent for patients with acne.
Retinoids such as Tretinoin, acids such as salicylic, and benzoyl peroxide are just a few of the products that cause purging. These products contain active ingredients that increase the skin cell turnover rate, therefore causing your skin to purge.
Yes, it's considered best for your skin and the protective skin barrier to apply a moisturiser after using salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid starts working by 2-3 weeks, and takes around 2-3 months to show full effect. This potent antioxidant reduces pigmentation and builds up skin collagen. You will start noticing a brighter complexion in 4-6 weeks but actual improvements, in terms of dark spots reduction, will take around 3-4 months.
Signs that treatment is effective
Wart medications, such as salicylic acid, gradually peel away layers of a wart until it reaches the same level as the skin. People may notice the wart becoming flatter over time.
Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid has an exfoliating effect on the skin. It can also remove excess sebum (oil) and reduce sebum production, making it an excellent ingredient for unclogging pores. Plus, salicylic acid has mild anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
You'll often find salicylic acid in any product - be that a cleanser, serum or toner - that claims to combat blemishes or clarify skin. It's well known for its exfoliating powers to help unclog pores and remove excess oil, too.
If your skincare regime is overloaded with AHA's and BHA's, like Glycolic Acid, Malic Acid or Salicylic Acid, then over-exfoliation is likely to occur (if it hasn't happened yet!) Harsh physical exfoliators that contain salt, sugar or husks can also lead to over-exfoliation.
2% Salicylic Acid is intensely exfoliating and controls excess sebum in the pores. It acts as a potent ingredient to treat existing pimples and acne, as well as prevent further breakouts.
Before and After Results of the Salicylic Peel Treatment
You may need to undergo 4 to 6 peels which can be done once in every 3-4 weeks. You will notice that your skin looks brighter than before once you complete the treatment.
Salicylic acid also improves the shape of the pore lining, and once the pore is normalized, the backed-up, smaller clog can more easily come to the surface, appearing as new clogged pores (blackheads or white bumps).
Skin purging occurs because of some ingredients that accelerate your body's natural process of getting rid of dead skin cells. Products that contain certain components—including lactic acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and retinoids—are likely the culprits of your acne breakout.
The Ingredient: Salicylic Acid
When Youll See Results: When you use a product with salicylic acid, there are some immediate improvements, because it helps dry out pimples, Dr. Zeichner says. But getting the full blemish-busting effects takes about 12 weeks of regular use.
And you can use it all over your face to gently exfoliate it and avoid/cure blackheads and breakouts. For that, cleanse your face using a pH balanced cleanser then apply toner (optional) and take 2-3 drops of the ordinary salicylic acid solution in your palm and pat on to the skin.