What is Salicylic Acid?

Salicylic acid is a member of the hydroxy acid family, specifically the beta hydroxy subgroup. Sold both over-the-counter and as a prescription product, salicylic acid is commonly used to treat skin conditions such as acne, warts on the hands and feet, and psoriasis.

History of Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid has been used for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes for centuries, although it wasn't until 1928 that Henri Leroux, a French pharmacist, and Raffaela Pira, an Italian chemist, were able to isolate salicylic acid as an active ingredient.

Found naturally in willow bark, this beta hydroxy acid is used for treating skin conditions as well as aiding in the reduction of fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Types of Salicylic Acid Products

Salicylic acid is found in many product formulations including gels, creams, spot treatment solutions and foam. It can also be found as an added active ingredient to shampoos, ointments, cleansing pads and lotions.

Many salicylic acid products can be found over-the-counter in low to moderate concentrations. When a higher concentration is required to treat a persistent or difficult medical condition, a doctor or medical professional can prescribe a product with a higher concentration of salicylic acid.

How Salicylic Acid Works

Salicylic acid works primarily as an exfoliant. Even though the skin is constantly shedding and renewing itself, dead skin cells can sometimes be left behind stuck to the surface of the skin. An application of salicylic acid helps to slough off those dead skin cells, allowing for smoother, softer skin.

In addition to its exfoliation properties, salicylic acid, a derivative of acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, is reputed to have anti-inflammatory properties. This, along with its ability to absorb excess oil, make salicylic acid an acne-fighting treatment suitable for most skin types.

Considerations

Though salicylic acid is widely available in a variety of products, to be most effective, salicylic acid needs to be absorbed into the skin. As a result, skin cleansing products are often not the best option for a salicylic acid skin care product.

While most skin types will experience mild side effects related to their use of salicylic acid, some irritation such as itching, burning, redness or pain may occur. Physician Heather Brannon recommends choosing one salicylic acid product for treatment, and other products without an alpha or beta hydroxy acid to help reduce the likelihood for irritation.

Salicylic Acid Warnings

Though use of salicylic acid is considered to generally be safe, there are precautions to be taken. To prevent sunburn and other skin damage, sunscreen products with a minimum of SPF 15 need to be worn during any exposure to the sun while using salicylic acid. Even though regular use of salicylic acid can help reduce the appearance of sun damage in skin, unprotected skin undergoing treatment with salicylic products is more susceptible to sun damage, including burns.

Salicylic acid should only be applied to healthy skin free of abrasions, lesions, sores or open cuts and scratches.