a woman cleaning her face using a salicylic acid foaming face wash

Benefits of Using Salicylic Acid Face Wash

Salicylic acid which is very well known for acne reduction, skin exfoliator in keeping your skin pores breathable is a beta hydroxy acid.

You can majorly find salicylic acid in a variety of over-the-counter products.

Salicylic acid for skin is frequently used in treating mild acne like whiteheads and blackheads. It also helps in blocking any future breakouts.

Also, there are numerous ways and forms like salicylic acid serums, salicylic creams and salicylic face wash that helps to clear your skin acne and other skin ailments effectively.

How Does Salicylic Acid Treat Your Acne?

When the excess oil or dead skin cells plugged your hair follicles known as open clogged pores, whiteheads which are clogged pores, or severe pimples often appear.

Salicylic acid easily penetrates into your skin and works effectively in dissolving the dead skin cells which are clogging your pores. But remember that It can take several weeks of regular use for you to witness its full effect. You can check with your dermatologist if the results are not visible even after 6 weeks.

How Does Salicylic Acid Face Wash Work?

Being salicylic acid is one of the biggest enemies of acne, it is used as a face wash that may dry up your acne overnight. Acne is generally caused by the excess production of sebum, a type of skin oily substance that is produced by the sebaceous glands in your skin for preventing it from getting dry.

Salicylic acid does not at all stop the sebum production but its main goal is making your skin free from acne and other severe skin ailments in combination with other effective products used in the face wash. The structure of this acid makes it an effective oil-soluble ingredient that can penetrate through the lipid layers between your cells of skin more readily.

When you use a salicylic acid face wash it is not only used to exfoliate the outermost layer of your skin but also penetrate deep into the pore linings of your skin to offer it a deeper cleansing effect. In other words, a salicylic acid face wash works in two ways:

Breaks down the excessive sebum produced and restricts it from clogging the skin pores.
Breaks down and dissolves the intercellular bonds that can make the dead skin cells cling together.

As a result of this process, both the skin surface and the skin pores get cleaned properly. However, a salicylic acid face wash is found very effective mostly for pimples, whiteheads, blackheads etc. It is found not to have many positive effects on cystic acne.

Form and dosage of salicylic acid

You can consult any doctor or dermatologist who will recommend a form and dosage specifically for your skin ailments and their current condition. The doctor may also recommend you do a patch test before using it grossly.

According to scientific studies, adults should use a topical product to clear out their acne. Products that are containing higher concentrations of salicylic acid may be used for exfoliating your skin.

Salicylic acid when used in higher concentrations as an effective peeling agent for the treatment of:

Acne
Acne scars
Age spots
Melasma

Is Salicylic Acid Known To Have Any Side Effects?

Although in many studies it is found out that salicylic acid is considered generally safe but sometimes it may cause skin irritation when used in the first stance. It may also result in dryness and skin irritation as it can remove too much oil.

Some other potential side effects are:

Skin tingling
Itching
Peeling skin
Hives

Precautions To Be Taken Care Off While Using Salicylic Acid

Even though salicylic acid is also available in many OTC preparations that you can easily pick up at your local grocery store, you should talk with your doctor before using it. As there are several considerations to discuss with your dermatologist which are :

Allergies. Let your dermatologist know if you have experienced any allergic reactions to salicylic acid use or from any other topical medications before.
Use In Children. Children are at higher risk of severe skin irritation because their sensitive skin can absorb salicylic acid at a higher rate than that adults. Salicylic acid should not be given to children under the age of 2.
Drug Interactions. There are certain medications that do not interact very well with salicylic acid. Let your dermatologist know about the medications that you are currently taking.

You should also tell your doctor about any of the following medical conditions that you have:

Liver disease
Kidney disease
Blood vessel disease
Diabetes
Chickenpox (varicella)
Flu (influenza)

Salicylic acid toxicity

Salicylic acid toxicity is very rare but there are certain salicylic acid creams that can cause skin redness and rashes. To reduce such risk, you can follow certain recommendations:

Do not need to apply salicylic acid to a large portion of your body.
Do not use salicylic acid for a longer period of time.
Do not use air-tight dressings, like the plastic wrap

There are various salicylic acid uses but stop using salicylic acid products if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Lethargy
Headache
Confusion
Buzzing in the ears
Hearing loss
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
A sudden increase in breathing depth

Take Away

Although many studies suggest that there are no full-proof medications or scientific procedures that can completely cure skin acne. But still on the contrary it is suggested that salicylic acid use can greatly help you in clearing up such acne breakouts for most people.

Before using any salicylic product you must first consult a skin professional or dermatologist to get its prescription-only if salicylic acid is appropriate for your skin and the current health condition your body is having.