We’re led to believe that Salicylic Acid’s great treatment for hair loss, by people who market it, but does this particular thing actually cause the opposite?
This seems to be the question that keeps getting asked over and over. The reason we bring this up is that the minute you do a search for this product on the internet you are bombarded with warnings and claims that it actually does the opposite of what it claims, while also getting some shopping options for creams and other products.
It can be confusing, I know, but in all seriousness, we wanted to explore this product and really take a look at the pros and cons and provide some definitive facts.
This question has been going around since the first claims that this mineral could be marketed and used to prevent hair loss and we want to know if it indeed can do what experts claim it can or if it is just another well-marketed product that gives little to no good results and possibly that this product creates more harm than good!
What is Salicylic Acid?
It is a herb that originated from white willow bark, also known as Salix alba. It is also found naturally in certain foods such as blackberries, walnuts, and peanuts.
Is used for all kinds of medical treatments involving the skin including acne, dandruff, ringworm, and even warts and callouses.
You could call it the wonder drug and you would not be far off. And this is also good news in general when it comes to hair loss, because why would an ingredient that is used for medical reasons and found in healthy foods be bad for you right?
Now, back to the research, is called one of the most important and essential medical treatments for skin in the world and is on the WHO list of medicines.
It is also used in all kinds of shampoos and cream rinses, along with skin care products and one of its claims is that it can prevent hair loss.
How does it work?
The way this product is chemically structured makes it one of the best treatments for skin care (skin, we’re not talking about the hair part yet).
It penetrates the outer layer of skin and strips it away along with the buildup of oils and dead skin that can clog the skin and help create dandruff, itchy skin, pimples, and acne along with other skin issues.
Now onto hair: It is especially good for it as well as for the scalp itself as it can penetrate your hair follicles and flush out any buildup of the above-mentioned oils and dead skin, helping hair stay strong and flexible and all around healthy looking, while also making it easier for it to grow.
This also helps prevent flaking from dead skin on your scalp.
How does it prevent hair loss?
Because it strips unwanted oils and bad things away, one of them actually happens to be DHT, which is the main cause for hair loss in men from the hair follicles and actually stimulates new hair growth!
How effective it actually is towards hair growth has not been proven by scientific studies as of this writing, but at the very least what has been proven is healthier skin leads to healthier, cleaner, and shinier hair, and that is a good thing.
However, there have been positive studies on how effective it is towards healthy scalps and helping maintain existing hair because of all the things is clears out for it.
What did those studies conclude?
There were two separate studies, one in 2002 and one is 2009 and they both pretty much came to the same conclusion.
A healthy scalp will produce healthier hair which in turn will create a better environment for growing new hair so in that sense it does aid in preventing hair loss, but at the same time, it indirectly helps stimulate hair growth (it doesn’t actually cause it to grow).
What else the two studies concluded is that it is one of the most effective treatments for curing dandruff and actually preventing it.
Are there any risks by using this product?
All of the rumors on the internet that Salicylic Acid can cause hair loss and is not good for you are in our opinion completely false.
Medical professionals consider Salicylic Acid one of the safest medical ingredients to use and prescribe it daily for dandruff and other skin problems.
Keep in mind some people are extremely sensitive to many different things and there will be those who may experience some skin irritation from using this but this will disappear quickly by discontinuing use.
Other topical side effects that have been noted are shortness of breath, light headed-ness, stomach pain, and ringing in ears. The stomach pain part is probably from ingesting foods that contain this acid, which means the person has a sensitive stomach for it.
These symptoms can be eliminated by simply stopping the use of the products or if you ingest a food which has it, drinking more water can help.
No long lasting or permanent negative side effects have been proven to exist with this topical treatment.
Let’s now take a look at where to find products containing Salicylic Acid should you choose to try this kind of treatment for a skin problem, dandruff or just to maintain a healthy scalp and healthy head of hair.
You can find this ingredient in many skin care products.
If reading this article has better helped you decide on whether or not to use Salicylic Acid, then you can find it in your local store or pharmacy, particularly in sections where shampoos and skin care products are sold. One only needs to read the ingredient list and see if this is in there to know they should buy the product.
There is also a huge selection of skin care products available that have Salicylic Acid included in their ingredients.
Anything more I need to know about Salicylic Acid?
We have taken a good look at Salicylic Acid and some of its many uses and we have also covered some of the most popular products containing it and how they will affect your hair and overall skin health. We highly recommend their use in your everyday quest for healthy living!