Salicylic acid is a gentle acid derived from the bark of the willow tree. The bark of this tree has long been used as a traditional remedy for pain, inflammation, and fever.
Today, salicylic acid has become a popular treatment for acne, and is used in chemical peels to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, and sun damage. Salicylic acid peels can also help keep pores clean to treat and prevent acne. Let’s have a look at the history of salicylic acid.
Salicylic Acid in Ancient Times
The medicinal use of salicylic acid was first documented by the ancient Greeks in about 500 BC. In ancient times, salicylic acid wasn’t used to clear up acne or chemically exfoliate the skin. It was used primarily as a pain reliever and fever reducer. Native Americans are known to have widely used salicylic acid, in the form of willow bark, to treat pain, fever, and inflammation.
Salicylic Acid Goes Modern
Scientists began studying the properties of willow bark and its active ingredient, salicylic acid, in the 1900s. Because pharmacists, chemists, and doctors were already familiar with salicylic acid’s anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, they sought to create a widely usable version of the drug.
Johann Buchner, a German working at the University of Munich, was the first to distill from willow bark the substance he called “salicin” after the Latin name for the willow tree, Salix alba. In 1829, French chemist Henri LaRoux perfected the extraction technique. In 1853, Charles Gerhardt, another Frenchman, invented aspirin, though it wasn’t marketed until the Bayer company patented the formula in 1899.
Salicylic Acid for Skin Care
In the 20th century, salicylic acid began to be used as a treatment for skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, warts, and calluses. Salicylic acid softens the skin, and can be applied in varying concentrations to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. It also helps to clean pores, removing the dirt, oil, and debris that can build up to cause acne. Because salicylic acid also has anti-inflammatory properties, it can soothe the skin while also exfoliating it. This makes it one of the most gentle chemical peeling agents available today.