Salicylic Acid Peel
What is a Salicylic Acid Peel?
Salicylic acid peels are a type of beta hydroxy (BHA) peel. The name “salicylic acid” might sound familiar because salicylic acid is very common ingredient in acne treatments. It’s no wonder that salicylic acid peels are also great for treating clogged pores and acne.
Salicylic acid peels can be quite strong and penetrating, more so than AHA peels. While they are generally suitable for most skin types, people with oily, acne-prone skin tend to see the best results. People with an aspirin allergy, however, must avoid getting this type of chemical peel.
What does it do?
Salicylic acid peels can help improve the following skin conditions:
- Clogged pores
- Oily, congested skin
- Acne
- Blackheads
Salicylic acid peels are usually best for those with acne-prone skin. If you are trying to fade hyperpigmentation, lactic acid or glycolic acid peels will probably be better. Salicylic acid peels will probably not be as effective for anti-aging either.
What to Expect from a Salicylic Acid Peel
Your skin will first be primed with some kind of prep solution. This removes any residual facial oils to allow the peel to be more effective. After the prep solution dries, the salicylic acid peel is applied to your skin. The person giving you the peel will set a timer for how long it should be left on your skin. When the time is up, the peel will be neutralized and then gently removed with some water or a cleanser.
During the salicylic acid peel, your skin will feel warm and prickly. It will probably also turn red. And because salicylic acid is more penetrating, you may feel more topical discomfort than other chemical peels (ex. like mandelic acid peels). If you experience pain that you cannot tolerate at all, the peel needs to be immediately removed. To avoid this kind of bad reaction, most places will spot test the peel before doing a full-face peel.
Facial redness, or erythema, post-peel should subside in a few hours. For some people, the redness can linger around for a couple of days later. Even though most salicylic acid peels are only at 15% strengths, they can cause your skin to turn dry and flaky. Your skin probably won’t peel off in sheets, but some light peeling might take place.
Is there any downtime?
Unlike TCA peels or laser treatments, there isn’t any significant downtime associated with salicylic acid peels. For most people, skin heals and returns back to normal in 3-4 days. The main side effects from salicylic acid peels are facial redness and flaking skin. However, these side effects are usually not severe enough to take time off work or clear out your schedule.
If you get salicylic acid peels for active acne, you might experience some post-peel purging. As the acid exfoliates away the surface of your skin, it brings clogs you have underneath closer to the top, which may erupt as more active pimples.
As with all exfoliating treatments, salicylic acid peels will make your skin more sensitive to the sun. It is very important to stay indoors and wear a good sunscreen when you go outside, especially the first two days after you get the peel.