Benefits & Side Effects of Using Face Wash with Salicylic Acid
Hey everyone! Its skincare time on the blog today. Today’s focus is acne prone skin and how a face wash with salicylic acid comes to your rescue.First things first. What is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid is a chemical that can be effectively used for the treatment of skin conditions, especially acne and other similar skin problems. If you have oily skin which is prone to breaking out into pimples and acne, your dermatologist will recommend the use of a face wash that contains salicylic acid as its main ingredient. Salicylic acid can also unclog any of the pores that may have been clogged due to dead skin.
What is a Salicylic Acid Face Cleanser?
A salicylic acid cleanser is one which has the acid as its main active agent. It is primarily used as a face wash, but can be used on any other part of the body as well. The beta hydroxy acid not only exfoliates the skin but also unclogs pores and thins out the upper, older layer of the skin. This kind of shredding of the dead cells can polish your skin and improve its youthfulness and appearance. Such kinds of cleansers are highly effective when it comes to breaking down dead skin, treating acne and removing blackheads. Most dermatologists recommend continued use of this cleanser for best results.
Suggested Reading – Treat Acne and Pimples with 5 Excellent Multani Mitti Face Packs
What Kind of Cleansers are there?
Salicylic face wash can be available in many different forms. You can find it in gel or cream form. Some manufacturers also sell it as foaming face wash. Most of these cleansers are prescription strength and may contain 0.5% to 2% salicylic acid. The strength of the product increases with the increase in the percentage of salicylic acid. The dermatologist will prescribe a product depending on the condition of your skin. The strength of the product determines the frequency with which the cleanser should be used.
Benefits of Salicylic Acid Face Wash
- Salicylic acid face washes have a keratolytic effect. It easily breaks down dead skin cells and exfoliates skin effectively.
- The face wash is especially beneficial for comedonal type of acne which is caused due to blocked pores. The acid is able to easily penetrate the hair follicles and prevent them from getting clogged.
- The face wash also has anti inflammatory effects and can effectively reduce redness caused due to acne and breakouts.
- It has anti bacterial properties which keep your skin clean and sterile, preventing bacteria from causing any kind of pimples and acne.
- It helps lighten discoloration or any kind of hyper pigmentation. While treating the redness and pigmentation, salicylic acid also heals the skin.
- At higher concentrations, salicylic acid based products can also be used as chemical peels which peel off the top layer of the skin, exposing fresh, new skin underneath.
- Treatment of acne scars and liver spots is also possible with continued use of salicylic acid based face washes.
- Salicylic acid based cleansers and face washes can also effectively help in the treatment of warts and calluses. However, this requires a very high concentration of salicylic acid and you may have to get such a cleanser specially formulated from a chemist.
- At certain concentrations, salicylic acid based cleansers can also be used for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Side Effects of Using Face Wash with Salicylic Acid
Though salicylic acid is very effective and has many benefits for the skin, it is a chemical and may have some side effects as well. Some people may experience severe reactions on their skin, including peeling, drying, burning and reddening of skin on continued use of the face wash. At the start of the treatment, when the skin is especially sensitive and is not used to the chemicals, these problems may be more persistent. In case you experience drying, irritation or thinning of your skin, you may need to use only small amounts of the cleanser and use it much less often. If there are very severe side effects of your face wash, talk to your doctor and request a face wash with much lower strength. This would help you control the side effects.
Inputs from BeautyGlimpse.com – India’s leading Beauty, Health & Lifestyle Portal
Hope you found this article useful. Until next time..
