Personal care items like acne medications, facial cleaners and some shampoos and hair coloring products contain salicylic acid.
See list of brands that contain salicylic acid here.
Salicylic acid contains the same anti-inflammatory ingredients as aspirin. That’s why DIY acne face masks made out of the painkiller are so popular. According to board certified and L’Oreal Paris consulting dermatologist Dr. Gervaise Gerstner, salicylic acid can be used in liquid form to treat a variety of skin issues due to its antibacterial and drying effects.
Salicylic acid isn’t just used to treat acne. It’s a powerful exfoliator, too.
When treating skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, Dr. Nussbaum (a board certified dermatologist and chief medical spokesperson for skincare brand Sebamed) says, salicylic acid acts as a keratolytic, which loosens keratin (a protein that forms the structure of skin), therefore allowing thickened, scaly plaques of skin to shed more easily.
When using over-the-counter products that contain salicylic acid, remember it may take time for your skin to adjust.
Because salicylic acid can cause mild stinging and skin irritation, dermatologists highly recommend using it in moderation. Over-the-counter treatments with 0.5 to 2 percent salicylic acid are safe to use, according to Dr. Nussbaum. Read more at HuffingtonPost.com.
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Learn more about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling checking the Household Products Database of the National Library of Medicine.
The database links over 16,000 consumer brands to health effects from Safety Data Sheets (formerly Material Safety Data Sheets), provided by manufacturers and allows scientists and consumers to research products based on chemical ingredients.