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We recommend Salicylic 20 acid for treating acne. Salicylic acid has several natural characteristics that will help immediately reduce the appearance of the blemish.
- Anti-inflammatory and Antiseptic Properties
- - the Salicylic Acid (also in aspirin) works actively to reduce the redness and inflammation of the pimple, and to eliminate irritation to the spot, further reducing swelling.
- Germicidal - as a primary hormone in the plant's immune system, the acid helps kill the P. acne's bacteria and restore healthy environment for faster healing
- Oil Soluble - the salicylic acid because of its oil solubility is able to effectively penetrate the sebum clogged pores of the skin
Acid?!
You might be hesitant about putting acid on your face, but using Salicylic Acid is actually much safer than using something like lemon juice (citric acid) because of the nature of the molecule. Let me try to explain.
As mentioned earlier, Salicylic acid is oil soluble, which is great for two reasons. First, the outside layer of you skin is covered in oil, and being oil soluble, the salicylic acid is able to penetrate this outer layer.
However under this outermost layer is the dermis, and this layer is made up of mostly water. As you know oil and water don't mix, and this keeps the Salicylic acid from moving down past the outer most levels of the epidermis, and so it stays on the surface of the skin.
Salicylic downside is that it can be drying to the skin. This is often not a problem if you have very oily skin, but if your one of those who has acne without oily skin, you'll want to use a non-comedonic moisturizer like Cetaphil to help prevent excessive dryness.
Although the Salicylic/20 is great for treating acne in adolescents and adults alike, it does not improve tone and texture as well as the Glycolic and Lactic peels, so for more mature skin the Glycolic or Lactic peels helps to add a "glow" as well as improve overall skin texture. You can use the Lactic by itself in weekly peels, or you can use it in combination with the Salicylic Roll-on for spot treatments.
Because of the Salicylic acid's drying properties it is best when used in combination with the Lactic acid, which helps to draw in and retain moisture within the skin.
What Else Do I Need?
You will also need to use a topical cream called Benzoyl Peroxide in addition to the Salicylic 20 Acid. This cream will help fight any bacteria on the surface of your skin that is acne causing.
When determining a routine, everyone's skin is a little different. Most people tolerate the Salicylic acid well and can apply much more often than any of the other peels. I recommend applying twice daily for approximately 2 weeks, to clear up any existing acne. Only apply twice daily if your skin shows no sign of irritation. If your skin becomes irritated, apply once everyday, or every other day--which ever your skin will allow. Once the acne begins to clear, start applying the Benzoyl Peroxide cream as well. Apply the Salicylic 20 peel in the morning, and apply the Benzoyl cream in the evening.
Remember not to get frustrated. Exfoliation is a process that takes some time. The cleansing process scrubs your clogged pores that are embedded with dirt and dead skin cells. As the top layers are removed, this congestion inside the skin may emerge in the form of blemishes. The entire process takes several weeks to purge the skin, but afterwards skin should be noticeably smoother and cleaner.
