BHA/Salicylic acid/aspirin

[Guest guest]

There have been a few posts on these topics.

BHA = beta-hydroxy-acid, of which salicylic acid is the most commonly-used

example.

Salicylic acid is a skin exfoliant, and has slight anti-microbial and

anti-inflammatory effects too. There is no obvious reason why it would be of

major benefit to cea sufferers, but like most things I'm sure some

people do find it beneficial, while others find it definitely bad.

Aspirin is not salicylic acid, it is a derivative of salicylic acid, and is

much milder, especially when taken orally.

Both BHAs and AHAs (alpha-hydroxy-acids) vary a lot in their effect

depending upon concentration, pH and " what else is in the product " .

Footnote: 1. BHA also stands for Butylated hydroxyanisole, a common

antioxidant in creams etc.

2. Some acids, like citric acid, are both AHAs and BHAs.

Hope this info is useful,

Barry Hunt

[Guest guest]

Barry, I just wanted to second your last sentence -- whether a

particular ingredient such as salicylic acid behaves as an exfoliant

(what the skin care industry call BHAs and AHAs) depend on

concentration, pH, etc. Just because it's listed on the label, and

even just because the marketing promotion calls it an exfoliant or

classifies it as an alpha or beta-hydroxy acid, doesn't mean it's so.

It makes sense that the same product may cause a reaction (good or

bad) in one skin care product, and be ineffective or well-tolerated

in another product, even for the same person.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> There have been a few posts on these topics.

>

> BHA = beta-hydroxy-acid, of which salicylic acid is the most

commonly-used

> example.

>

> Salicylic acid is a skin exfoliant, and has slight anti-microbial

and

> anti-inflammatory effects too. There is no obvious reason why it

would be of

> major benefit to cea sufferers, but like most things I'm sure

some

> people do find it beneficial, while others find it definitely bad.

>

> Aspirin is not salicylic acid, it is a derivative of salicylic

acid, and is

> much milder, especially when taken orally.

>

> Both BHAs and AHAs (alpha-hydroxy-acids) vary a lot in their effect

> depending upon concentration, pH and " what else is in the product " .

>

> Footnote: 1. BHA also stands for Butylated hydroxyanisole, a common

> antioxidant in creams etc.

> 2. Some acids, like citric acid, are both AHAs and BHAs.

>

> Hope this info is useful,

>

> Barry Hunt