Salicylic acid is one of the most common ingredients in many home wart treatments. It works to remove warts from your skin by removing layers of dead skin that may have accumulated. These deposits only cause the infection to persist and even worsen over time. You’ll also find that with daily use, not only will the warts disappear faster, but the skin around the infection will also look healthier.
The question is whether you can use an anti-wart formula to treat acne, since salicylic acid is a common skin care ingredient used by people who are prone to acne and blemishes. Even though this product contains salicylic acid, we wondered if it would be suitable for use on the face. So, let’s start investigating and learn more about whether you can use salicylic acid wart remover for acne.
If you want to learn more about salicylic acid as a skin care ingredient and all of its benefits, read our dedicated blog post.
Can you use wart remover for acne?
No, it’s not a good idea. While anti-acne skin care products often contain salicylic acid, you should use products designed specifically for wart removal on your face. The percentage of BHA in these formulas is extremely high, which can cause the already effective ingredient to become too strong for the skin. This often results in severe irritation of the skin, leading to discomfort, itching, and redness. You will also notice that the pimples you applied to do not improve, and more pimples may even appear next to them. This is because salicylic acid is too harsh on the skin and strips away all the oils on the skin, which in turn causes the skin to produce too much oil, which triggers a vicious cycle of more pimples.
Can I use a wart remover on my face?
Yes, you can, but only if it is designed for facial use. This is because the level of salicylic acid must be appropriate for facial skin, otherwise a number of unwanted side effects may occur.
There are different types of warts. Here are some of the most common examples.
Common warts: These usually appear on areas such as the hands, elbows, and knees.
Flat warts: This type of wart appears on the face, especially on the forehead.
Plantar warts: These grow on the soles of the feet.
Subungual warts and periungual warts: These two types of warts appear under the toenails and fingernails.
Genital warts: These occur in the genital area, including the pubic bone and thighs.
As you can see, there are different types of warts, and each requires a unique treatment, from the type of product used to the percentage of salicylic acid applied to the skin.
Can salicylic acid remove warts on the face?
No, it is thought that it is best to avoid salicylic acid because it was not originally developed to treat warts on the face. This is because salicylic acid formulas are often too weak to penetrate the wart root and require a higher potency to effectively exfoliate the skin. Two-thirds of warts will go away on their own, which is the easiest way to treat the infection for many people, but they can take more than a year to disappear from the skin. Be sure to keep the area clean, avoid touching the wart too often, and always wash your hands after your skin care routine.
If you are concerned about warts and want to know the best way to treat them quickly and effectively, it is best to consult your doctor or dermatologist to find the best wart treatment products.
How to remove warts on the face?
Compared to other warts, facial warts are very difficult to treat. As I mentioned before, many people prefer to let the wart go away on its own, but this can take up to a year, and sometimes even longer, to completely disappear from the face. If the wart is left to heal on its own, there is also a risk of the infection spreading to other areas of the face, as the virus can be spread simply by touching the infected area.
There are some home remedies you can use to treat warts on your face, but be warned: if you find that the wart is located near the eye area, do not self-medicate and seek help from a doctor.
Here are some examples of home remedies you can try if you have your doctor’s permission.
Garlic Extract – Garlic contains allicin, a compound known for its antiviral properties. Many people use garlic as a quick treatment for warts by placing crushed cloves on the affected area, wrapping it with a bandage, and leaving it on the skin overnight. Garlic can cause chemical burns to the skin. So if you notice itching, burning, or stinging on your skin, remove the garlic and wash the area with clean water.
Lemon Juice – Lemon juice is rich in citric acid, which kills bacteria and viruses instantly. However, do not apply pure lemon juice to your skin as it can cause severe burns and irritation. Instead, make sure to dilute one part lemon juice with two parts water. While this is a very effective way to remove flat skin warts, which usually form on the face, they may take some time to disappear.
As I mentioned before, avoid using these home remedies unless you have discussed them with your doctor or dermatologist.
For many people with wart infections, seeking medical help is considered the best way to get rid of the wart. Here are some of the most common methods used by medical professionals.
Cryotherapy – Doctors inject nitrogen into the wart or apply it topically. This freezes the virus and the wart will eventually fall off, but multiple treatments are needed over a 2-3 week period.
Cantharidin – This is a highly effective blistering agent that increases the risk of chemical burns to the skin. This can be very painful, but is an effective way to treat the infection. Once cantharidin is applied to the wart, it forms blisters on the surface of the area, allowing doctors to completely remove the infection.
Electrosurgery and curettage – These procedures can be used alone or in combination to cauterize the wart and scrape out the virus.
Surgical excision – This procedure is designed to treat linear warts that protrude from the skin and may cause discomfort in daily life. This should only be performed by a doctor or medically trained professional.
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