What do you do or what products do you use to get clear skin
and treat skin problems, such as acne, pimples, spots, etc.? Have you looked at
the ingredients list of these products?
If you take a closer look at the
ingredients, you might see something called “salicylic acid.” So what is
exactly salicylic acid and why do some products contain it? Salicylic acid is a
beta hydroxy acid with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties3.
Since it is not very abundant naturally, it often has to be produced by heating
phenol with carbon dioxide3. Its ability to promote exfoliation and
the removal of dead skin cells is why it is mainly used in skin treatment
products and/or acne-related products3. It is known to treat acne by
causing skin cells to shed or be removed in a more easily manner and prevents
pores from clogging up3. Pores can get clogged due to oil, dry and
dead skin cells or when the skin is inflamed due to an excess of white cells3.
Acne can occur as a result of pores being clogged, and salicylic acid is used
to prevent that3. You might be wondering if salicylic acid is used
for anything else besides treating acne? It is. Salicylic acid, due to it being
an anti-bacterial agent, is also used in products or shampoos that treat
dandruff3. Besides acne and dandruff products, salicylic acid is
used in various other products, such as skin softeners, face masks, foot products, hair tonics, suntan oils and lotions6.
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| Andreas (2006). Cream [Image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/cream-box- cosmetics-lid-fragrance-1327847/ |
Now what it
comes down to is whether salicylic acid or these products that contain
salicylic acid are harmful to use. Salicylic acid only becomes a health issue
when it is applied to large areas of the skin (with a high percent
concentration) continuously, as it can be absorbed through the skin and into
the bloodstream5,6. This can result in something called
“salicylism,” which can cause nausea and vomiting, increased respiration,
ringing in the ears, loss of hearing, and can affect the central nervous system5,6. Salicylic acid can also cause allergic reactions or skin rashes and irritation, especially in sensitive individuals5,6, which is why a
patch test should always be done before use. It is also considered as a severe
eye irritant1,5, so direct eye contact with it should be avoided. When
using products that contain salicylic acid, it is advised to use sun protection
with them as well, as applying it to the skin may make you or others more
vulnerable to sunburn4. On
the bright side, you might be relieved to find out that salicylic acid is not
considered to cause cancer1,5-yay!!! One thing to keep in mind is
that there is always a natural way to treat or help with acne and dandruff. For
instance, apple cider vinegar or tea tree oil can be used directly as a spot
treatment or help out with reducing dandruff2. Next time you pick up
a product, see whether it has salicylic acid and the percentage of it that it
has, and consider what you now know about salicylic acid.
References:
1Drug Bank. (2005; Updated 2016). Salicylic Acid. Retrieved
from
2Raftl, T. & Svea. (2012). The love vitamin:
Gentle ways to come clean:14 natural face
cleansing
alternatives [Blog Post]. Retrieved from
3Thomas, M.R. (2006). Salicylic acid and related
compounds. Kirk-Othmer
Encyclopedia
of Chemical Technology. John Wiley
& Sons Inc. Retrieved from
4U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
(FDA). (2014). Beta hydroxy acids. Retrieved
from
943.htm
5U.S. National Library of Medicine, TOXNET. Salicylic
acid. Retrieved from https://
toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~A21axy:3
6Winter, R. (2007). A Consumer's Dictionary of
Household, Yard and Office Chemicals:
Complete
Information About Harmful and Desirable Chemicals Found in
Everyday
Home Products, Yard Poisons, and Office Polluters (pp. 48-
333;p.277). New York : ASJA
Press
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