This is an archive article published on February 20, 2023

This powerful skincare ingredient helps tighten pores, reduce oiliness, remove blemishes, but pregnant women must avoid it

"It is not only a skincare ingredient but is also used to improve the health of your hair, treat dandruff and itchy, scaly scalp," said Dr Trupti D Agarwal, Consultant Dermatologist and Trichologist

Salicylic acid can help clear up inflammation and redness linked with acne. (Source: Freepik)

3 min readNew DelhiFeb 20, 2023 09:10 AM IST First published on: Feb 20, 2023 at 09:10 AM IST

One of the top-rated skincare ingredients, salicylic acid is shown to have exfoliant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. It is a type of phenolic and beta hydroxy acid that is used in creams, acne treatments, and other products. “The ingredient is derived from the bark of white willow and the leaves of wintergreen,” said Dr Trupti D Agarwal, Consultant Dermatologist and Trichologist, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai.

The benefits of salicylic acid, according to the expert, include:

*It helps in preventing acne. Additionally, as a comedolytic, salicylic acid lowers whiteheads and blackheads.
*It acts as a mild astringent, which aids in tightening skin pores, reducing oiliness, and unclogging pores, leading to smoother and younger-looking skin.
*Salicylic acid reduces sebum production. It also gently unclogs skin pores keeps dead skin cells at bay.
*Its skin lightening and brightening qualities are well known as it breaks down the links between the cells in the skin’s outer layers, thus using it on the face is an efficient cure for removing blemishes.

Other benefits are:

*Salicylic acid is not only a skincare ingredient but is also used to improve the health of your hair. It can treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis (itchy, scaly scalp).
*It can help remove warts by exfoliating the skin and promoting skin cell turnover.

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Who should avoid using salicylic acid?

Salicylic acid is available in a variety of formulations, including face washes, gels, creams, moisturisers, serums and scrubs. (Source: Freepik)

*People with sensitive skin who are prone to dryness or redness, should avoid using the ingredient.
*It should also be avoided by pregnant women and anyone who takes blood-thinning medicines as it can seep through the skin and be absorbed by the blood.

Stressing the same, Dr Agarwal told indianexpress.com that if you have extremely dry skin, you should avoid using salicylic acid as it removes oil and may aggravate dryness. “It should not be applied to large regions of the body, for lengthy periods of time, or used by children when wearing occlusive clothing,” she said, explaining that topical usage of salicylic acid is not advised on children under the age of two.

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How to use it?

Salicylic acid is available in a variety of formulations, including face washes, gels, creams, moisturisers, serums and scrubs. The expert said that since it is a chemical exfoliator, you should only look for low doses or concentrations between 0.5 to 5%.

The expert added that one should target the regions of your face that have breakouts or acne scars rather than applying salicylic acid all over the face. “To see how your skin reacts to it, try using it once or twice in a week,” she concluded, advising that a mild cleanser should be used before to gently wash the affected area.

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