Although you may not realise it, your skin wages war on its surroundings 24 hours a day. It acts as the first line of defence against infection to your body as well as protecting the comprehensive biological systems within. For these reasons, our skin deserves all the help it can get to maintain a fresh and healthy outlook. Salicylic acid can be a valuable addition to the catalogue of skin care, thanks to its reputation as an effective peeling treatment for facial skin conditions such as pimples, rashes and acne.
Salicylic acid is known as a ´Beta-Hydroxy´ acid that is produced by the bark of the Willow tree. Its oil soluble property means that it can be easily absorbed into the pores of the skin. The oil-based part of the acid penetrates these surface epidermal layers much deeper than more conventional water-based products. Due to this, it is more powerful in unblocking and flushing out blockages and impurities that lie within the pores. This type of peeling treatment is beneficial against persistent skin conditions such as acne, when blackheads and whiteheads can break out causing textural discrepancies on the skin.
Salicylic acid is effective at chemically breaking down the organic debris that lies beneath the skin and clogs the pores. It also has the added benefit of acting as an anti-inflammatory formula which reduces the redness on surface pimples. The acid has been proven to assist in fading unsightly acne marks more effectively than other peel / exfoliating skin treatments. The molecular composition of this acid breaks apart the ´Desmosomes´ (the sticky links between cells of the outer layers of the skin) which allows it to act as an effective exfoliant. Salicylic acid uses these properties to cleanse in what is referred to as a ´Keratolytic medication.´ This causes the molecular construction of the top layer of skin cells to break down and be removed through daily cleansing; helping to encourage a fresher and healthier glow after the treatment has been completed.
There is a variety of acne treatments currently available on the market, meaning that it can be expensive and difficult to purchase specific remedies, with no guarantee of a successful outcome.
To ensure the right treatment is used for your skin type, you can contact me for a consultation to ensure the right combination of treatments are recommended without causing further damage to the skin.