What Is Salicylic Acid, and how does it work?
Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) used to treat acne and dark spots. It helps the skin shed dead cells from the top layer and reduces redness and swelling. This reduces the number of breakouts and speeds up the healing process. Many over-the-counter topical skincare products include Salicylic Acid, such as cleansers, toners, gels, and lotions. Although it is a holy grail ingredient for many, people with sensitive skin should use it with caution. It is advised to consult a doctor before introducing it into your routine. If you experience frequent breakouts, maybe it’s time to take a break and pamper your skin. Say hello to happy skin with Joanna Vargas! They offer the best facial treatment in Los Angeles. Joanna Vargas products are a unique blend of skill, technology, and all-natural ingredients created to promote healthy skin.
What can Salicylic acid help treat?
Salicylic acid can be used on every skin type, but it is especially beneficial to those who suffer from the following skin problems.
- Acne: Salicylic Acid is used to treat acne because it clears bacteria causing bacteria and helps shed dead skin cells. It works effectively for more inflamed acne since it cleans the pores while simultaneously serving as an anti-inflammatory.
- Melasma and psoriasis: Stronger salicylic acid formulations can be used as a spot therapy for skin discolouration problems, including melasma and psoriasis. Because salicylic acid might cause dryness or itching as a side effect, consult a dermatologist before using it to treat these issues.
- Oily skin: Salicylic Acid penetrates deep into the pores to remove pus, oil, and germs that cause clogging. Adding salicylic acid to your routine can help clean out excess oils and reduce sebum levels because it breaks down fatty compounds on the skin’s surface. It is also effective in treating blackheads and whiteheads.
Benefits of Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is used to treat a variety of bacterial skin issues and provides several skin benefits:
- Helps clear pores: Salicylic Acid is especially effective for oily skin as it breaks down the oil and germs that develops on the face from daily activities. This will keep the pores clean and prevent bacteria from entering.
- Exfoliates the skin: It is keratolytic, which means that it gently exfoliates skin to remove dead skin cells, leaving the skin cleaner and healthier.
- Reduces the appearance of redness: Salicylic Acid contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation and redness in a specific area.
- Reduces the amount of sebum production: Acne occurs when your skin produces too much sebum, which salicylic acid can reduce.
Tips to include Salicylic Acid in your routine
Including salicylic acid in the routine can be a task. Below are some things to consider before including it in your skincare routine.
- Patch test before using: To avoid an adverse response, spot test the product on a small skin area before incorporating it into your routine. To begin, cleanse and pat dry your face. Then, patch tests a small quantity of the acid by applying it to your skin. If you don’t feel tingling, redness, or dryness within 24 hours, you can include it in your routine.
- Layering retinol is a big no: Retinol is a potent anti-aging component that should not be used with salicylic acid since the two together might irritate the skin.
- Use it as a spot treatment: Using higher -concentration all over your face might cause dryness. Initially, use it as a spot treatment on pustules and papules.
- Avoid high concentration: Do not use a salicylic acid product with a high concentration unless prescribed by the dermatologist. Gels should not contain more than 5% acid. Lotions should have 1–2% salicylic acid, and cleansers or toners should have 0.5–2% salicylic acid. Remember to start from a low concentration and wait for your skin to adjust.
