Keratolytic Creams

KERATOLYTIC CREAMS RELIEVE CRACKED HEELS BY PEELING AWAY THE TOP LAYERS OF ROUGH, DRY SKIN. KERATOLYTIC MEDICATIONS ALSO WORK TO REMOVE CORNS, CALLUSES, DANDRUFF AND WARTS. APPLY KERATOLYTIC CREAMS DIRECTLY TO THE AFFECTED AREA, TAKING CARE TO KEEP THE CREAM ON THE EXTERNAL PORTIONS OF THE SKIN TO AVOID IRRITATION. KERATOLYTIC CREAMS ARE SOMETIMES COMBINED WITH HUMECTANTS SUCH AS UREA OR LACTIC ACID. SALICYLIC ACID IS

.A COMMON KERATOLYTIC AGENT

?What is salicylic acid topical
Salicylic acid is a keratolytic (peeling agent). Salicylic acid causes .shedding of the outer layer of skin Salicylic acid topical is used in the treatment of acne, dandruff, corns, .and warts Salicylic acid topical may also be used for purposes other than those

.listed here

How Does Salicylic Acid Cure Acne

Salicylic Acid as Ingredient SALICYLIC ACID IS A COMMON INGREDIENT INCLUDED IN TOPICAL APPLICATIONS OF ACNE MEDICATIONS. IT IS CATEGORIZED UNDER A CLASS OF DRUGS KNOWN AS KERATOLYTIC AGENTS. SOME BRAND NAME PRODUCTS THAT HAVE SALICYLIC ACID AS AN ACTIVE INGREDIENT ARE CLEARISIL, NEUTROGENA, AND MEDIPLAST. Peeling Action SALICYLIC ACID IS A PEELING AGENT. AFTER EXPOSURE TO SALICYLIC ACID, THE SKIN STARTS TO SHED THE TOP LAYERS OF THE EPIDERMIS. THIS CAN CLEAR UP PIMPLES, ZITS, AND OTHER SKIN BLEMISHES. SIX PERCENT CONCENTRATIONS OF SALICYLIC ACID ARE TYPICALLY USED TO CLEAR UP ACNE. STRONGER CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE 16 PERCENT ARE OFTEN FOUND IN WART REMOVERS. Flights: Africa to USA One Way -$733, Round Trip -$1235. TOTAL Fares, Tax incl. Book Today! asaptickets.com/Africa-to-USA Sponsored Links Unclogging Pores WHEN SALICYLIC ACID IS USED TO TREAT ACNE, THE DRUG WILL HELP UNCLOG PORES. IT ACHIEVES THIS BY SLOWING DOWN THE PROCESS OF SKIN CELL SHEDDING INSIDE HAIR FOLLICLES. WHEN SKIN CELLS SHED QUICKLY, THEY CLOG UP THE HAIR FOLLICLES AND CAUSE PIMPLES TO APPEAR ON THE SURFACE OF THE SKIN. THE SALICYLIC ACID HELPS RETURN THE SKIN TO ITS NORMAL CELL REPLACEMENT CYCLE. SWELLING AND REDNESS ARE ALSO REDUCED WHEN SALICYLIC ACID IS APPLIED TO ACTIVE ACNE. SINCE SALICYLIC ACID CAN BREAK DOWN SKIN, IT IS ALSO AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT AGAINST WHITEHEADS AND BLACKHEADS Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/69688-salicylic-acid-cureacne/#ixzz1bVmJwpcf

Overview SALICYLIC ACID TREATMENTS CAN BE APPLIED TO THE FACE TO REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF ACNE-RELATED PIMPLES AND BUMPS. WHEN APPLIED TO THE SKIN, SALICYLIC ACID HELPS TO UNPLUG THE PORES, FREEING THEM FROM DIRT AND OIL. WHILE SALICYLIC ACID OFFERS MANY BENEFITS TO THOSE WITH ACNE, IT ALSO CAN CAUSE SKIN DRYNESS OR IRRITATION--MAKING IT .IMPORTANT TO PAIR SALICYLIC ACID WITH THE RIGHT MOISTURIZING PRODUCTS Significance SALICYLIC ACID IS A FORM OF BETA HYDROXY ACID ACID, WHICH REFERS TO ITS CHEMICAL MAKEUP. ACCORDING TO 3DCHEM.COM, SALICYLIC ACID CAN BE MADE FROM THE BARK OF THE WILLOW TREE AND IS SIMILAR IN CHEMICAL MAKEUP TO THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN ASPIRIN. SALICYLIC ACID HAS A KERATOLYTIC EFFECT WHEN APPLIED TO THE SKIN, ACCORDING TO ACNE.COM. THIS MEANS THAT SALICYLIC ACID CAN CLEAR THE DEAD SKIN CELLS THAT CAN CLUMP TOGETHER AND CAUSE ACNE AND WELL AS PREVENT SKIN FOLLICLES FROM SHEDDING .THAT CAN CAUSE CLOG THE PORES AND CAUSE ACNE Types SALICYLIC ACID IS FOUND IN MANY TYPES OF PRODUCTS FOR ACNE TREATMENT. THESE INCLUDE IN GELS, PADS, LIQUIDS, LOTIONS AND FACE WASHES. SOME COMMON PRODUCTS ON TODAY'S SKINCARE MARKET THAT CONTAIN SALICYLIC ACID INCLUDE STRI-DEX, SALAC, PALMER'S SKIN SUCCESS ACNE CLEANSER AND MEDIPLAST, ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC. SALICYLIC ACID ALSO HAS POSITIVE EFFECTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS, CALLUSES, .DANDRUFF, CORNS AND WARTS, ACCORDING TO ACNE.ORG Uses THE USE OF SALICYLIC ACID DEPENDS UPON THE TYPE OF PRODUCT USED. FOR EXAMPLE, A GEL SPOT TREATMENT, WHICH IS USED TO TREAT A SPECIFIC BLEMISH, TYPICALLY HAS A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF SALICYLIC ACID. FOR THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT, YOU SHOULD GENTLY DAB--NOT SMEAR--A SMALL AMOUNT ONTO THE BLEMISH AND ALLOW IT TO AIR DRY. DO NOT WIPE THE TREATMENT OFF. FOR LESS INTENSE CONCENTRATIONS, SUCH AS CREAMS OR LOTIONS, THESE CAN BE GENTLY MASSAGED INTO THE SKIN AND SHOULD NOT BE WIPED OFF FOLLOWING APPLICATION. FOR FACE WASHES, YOU CAN WORK A LATHER UP ON A WASHCLOTH OR FACIAL SPONGE OR SIMPLY USE YOUR HANDS. THIS WASH SHOULD BE RINSED OFF

Keratolytic Agent THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) SAYS SALICYLIC ACID IS IN A CLASS OF MEDICATIONS CALLED KERATOLYTIC (PEELING) AGENTS. SALICYLIC ACID ENCOURAGES THE SLOUGHING OF THE TOP LAYER OF SKIN (EPIDERMIS) AND THE OPENING OF PLUGGED FOLLICLES. THIS PEELING EFFECT HELPS TO REINSTATE THE NATURAL SKIN-CELL REPLACEMENT ROTATION. Uses ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC, SALICYLIC ACID IS USED TO TREAT MANY SKIN DISORDERS INCLUDING DANDRUFF, CALLUSES, CORNS, WARTS AND ACNE. THE NIH SAYS TOPICAL SALICYLIC ACID CAN HELP PREVENT AND TREAT PIMPLES AND SKIN BLEMISHES. IT WORKS BY REDUCING SWELLING AND REDNESS AND UNPLUGGING BLOCKED SKIN PORES, CAUSING PIMPLES TO SHRIVEL. ACNE.COM SAYS SALICYLIC ACID GENERALLY WORKS WELL IN CASES OF MILD ACNE. Treat Melasma in 14 Days Yes it's possible with Meladerm! Effective treatment for Melasma. CivantSkinCare.com/Melasma Sponsored Links Effects THE NIH SAYS TOPICAL SALICYLIC ACID IS AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF STRENGTHS, INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION LEVEL POTENCY. IT'S ALSO CONTAINED IN SEVERAL OVER-THE-COUNTER ACNE LOTIONS, CREAMS AND MEDICATED PADS. SALICYLIC ACID MAY CAUSE YOUR SKIN TO BECOME IRRITATED AND DRY WHEN YOU FIRST BEGIN TREATMENT, BUT OVER TIME THOSE REACTIONS SHOULD DISSIPATE. IF YOUR SKIN BECOMES SCALY, A LIGHT OIL-FREE MOISTURIZER SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN THE BEGINNING, YOUR ACNE MAY ACTUALLY INTENSIFY AS YOUR SKIN GETS USED TO THE MEDICATION. IT MAY TAKE A NUMBER OF WEEKS BEFORE THE EFFECTS OF SALICYLIC ACID ARE REALIZED Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/60553-salicylic-acid-workacne/#ixzz1bVosEaFB

How Does Salicylic Acid Unclog Pores

Definition SALICYLIC ACID IS A KERATOLYTIC BETA HYDROXY ACID THAT IS COMMONLY USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACNE. SALICYLIC ACID IS DERIVED FROM THE BARK OF THE WILLOW TREE, AND THEN COMBINED WITH OTHER INGREDIENTS IN LOTIONS, CREAMS AND GELS. SALICYLIC ACID IS USED IN DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE STRENGTHS IN BOTH OVER-THE-COUNTER ACNE MEDICATIONS AND PRESCRIPTION-STRENGTH ACNE TREATMENTS. Comedones SALICYLIC ACID IS PRIMARILY USED FOR NON-INFLAMMATORY ACNE, MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR COMEDONES. COMEDONES, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BLACKHEADS OR WHITEHEADS, OCCUR WHEN SEBUM, A NATURAL OIL PRODUCED BY THE SKIN, COMBINES WITH DEAD SKIN CELLS TO FORM PLUGS IN THE PORES. WHEN THE PLUG FORMS BENEATH THE SKIN IN THE PORE, IT IS CALLED A WHITEHEAD. WHEN THE PLUG FORMS NEAR THE TOP OF THE SKIN SURFACE IN THE PORE, IT IS CONSIDERED A BLACKHEAD. QOD Brazilian Keratin The best imported brazilian keratin Original QOD keratin products www.keratin4u.com Sponsored Links Stratum Corneum SALICYLIC ACID ALSO HELPS CORRECT COMEDONAL ACNE PROBLEMS BY TARGETING THE STRATUM CORNEUM. THE STRATUM CORNEUM IS THE OUTERMOST LAYER OF YOUR SKIN. WHEN APPLIED TO THIS LAYER, SALICYLIC ACID ACTS AS A PEELING AGENT, BREAKING DOWN A PROTEIN CALLED KERATIN IN YOUR SKIN, AND LOOSENING DEAD SKIN CELLS. ACCORDING TO THE NEW ZEALAND DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY, THE REMOVAL OF THIS OUTER LAYER OF SKIN ALLOWS SALICYLIC ACID, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER ACCOMPANYING ACNE MEDICATIONS (SUCH AS ANTIMICROBIALS OR TOPICAL ANTIBIOTICS), TO BETTER PENETRATE THE PORES TO CLEAR UP ACNE. Pores SALICYLIC ALSO HELPS KEEP THE PORES CLEAR OF BLOCKAGES, WHICH HELPS PREVENT FURTHER OUTBREAKS. ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC, SALICYLIC ACID HAS THE ABILITY TO CORRECT IRREGULAR SHEDDING IN THE PORES, RESULTING IN A SLOWER SHEDDING OF DEAD SKIN CELLS FROM THE WALLS OF THE PORES. THE FEWER LOOSE DEAD SKIN CELLS THERE ARE AVAILABLE TO MIX WITH SEBUM AND FORM PLUGS, THE FEWER COMEDONES WILL OCCUR ON THE SKIN

How Does Salicylic Acid Work on Warts?

Mar 1, 2010 | By Chris Sherwood CHRIS SHERWOOD IS A PROFESSIONAL FREELANCE JOURNALIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN HEALTH AND FITNESS, DISEASES, MEDICAL AND HEALTH RESEARCH, AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL EFFECTS RESEARCH. SHERWOOD IS A FULL TIME STUDENT IN PSYCHOLOGY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELING. What is a Wart? WARTS ARE CAUSED BY AN INFECTION OF THE HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV), WHICH ALTERS THE GROWTH OF SKIN CELLS ON THE BODY. THE HPV VIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMON WARTS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE HPV VIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR GENITAL WARTS OR CERVICAL CANCER, AND ARE MORE OF A NUISANCE THAN HARMFUL, ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC. WARTS TYPICALLY OCCUR ON THE HANDS AND FEET WHERE EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS IS MORE LIKELY FROM TOUCHING AN OBJECT, OR WALKING BAREFOOT ON AN INFECTED FLOOR. AFTER EXPOSURE, IT CAN TAKE UP TO SIX MONTHS FOR A WART TO DEVELOP. WHEN WARTS OCCUR, ONE OF THE FIRST LINES OF TREATMENT IS SALICYLIC ACID. How Warts Form SKIN IS LARGELY MADE UP OF A PROTEIN CALLED KERATIN. AS THE HPV VIRUS INFECTS AN AREA OF THE SKIN, THE KERATIN CONTAINING SKIN CELLS BEGIN TO MULTIPLY AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. THIS RESULTS IN THE FORMATION OF A WART. KERATIN IS A STRONG SUBSTANCE DUE TO ITS FIBROUS MATRIX, WHICH MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD TO DISSOLVE. ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS TO BREAK THIS MATRIX IS THROUGH THE USE OF A KERATOLYTIC AGENT, SUCH AS SALICYLIC ACID. Losing Weight Effectively Enjoy Lasting Success & New Energy with Original Therapeutic Fasting www.Buchinger.com Sponsored Links Salicylic Acid SALICYLIC ACID IS AN OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCT THAT BREAKS DOWN WARTS UNTIL THEY ARE NO LONGER VISIBLE ON THE SKIN. SALICYLIC ACID IS TYPICALLY APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE WART, AFTER WHICH THE WART IS COVERED WITH A BANDAGE. AS THE SALICYLIC ACID ABSORBS INTO THE OUTER LAYER OF THE WART, THE KERATOLYTIC PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTANCE BEGIN BREAKING DOWN THE KERATIN IN THE WART TISSUE. THIS CAUSES THE OUTERMOST LAYER OF THE WART TO BE EASILY SLOUGHED OFF WHEN REMOVING THE BANDAGE. ONCE THE OUTER LAYER HAS BEEN REMOVED, SALICYLIC ACID CAN BE APPLIED AGAIN, REACTING WITH THE NEXT LAYER OF THE WART. THIS PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL THE WART HAS COMPLETELY BEEN SLOUGHED AWAY FROM THE SKIN.

Keratolytics for psoriasis: Are they necessary

Dermatology Online Journal 15 (1) jan.2009: Abstract
It is a common belief that keratolytic agents are required to enhance the penetration of topical medications into thick psoriatic plaques. However, is this belief evidence-based? Dogma teaches that thick scaly psoriatic plaques, especially those of the scalp, must first be treated with a keratolytic agent to remove excess scale and facilitate penetration of other topical treatments. Rook's Textbook of Dermatology states "even the most potent [corticosteroid] is useless if painted on the surface of thickly heaped-up psoriasis" [1]. Habif's Clinical Dermatology, 4th ed. states that "[scalp] scale must be removed first to facilitate penetration of medicine. Superficial scale can be removed with shampoos that contain tar and salicylic acid" [2]. Dermatology by Bologna et al. asserts, "If the psoriatic plaques have thick scale, then it needs to be reduced to enhance penetration of topical medications" [3]. To assess this dogma, we reviewed scalp psoriasis clinical trials that did not use a keratolytic or other scale-removing treatment. In these trials, even thick scalp psoriatic plaques improve rapidly with topical corticosteroids alone. A randomized, multicenter, study of twice daily betamethasone lotion and clobetasol propionate solution in the treatment of moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis included 193 subjects with an average "scaling" score of 2.4 out of 3 [4]. The scale score decreased to 0.5 (and overall severity decreased from 8.4 to 1.5 out of 12) with 2 weeks of betamethasone treatment and to 0.7 with clobetasol (overall disease severity decreased from 8.7 to 2.3 out of 12). No keratolytics were used. In a similar study of 241 patients with scalp psoriasis and a baseline "scaling" score of 2.4/3 treated with betamethasone valerate 0.12 percent foam, 88 percent achieved complete or near-complete resolution in 4 weeks [5]. Four weeks of clobetasol propionate 0.05 percent shampoo in subjects with moderate to severe scalp psoriasis reduced global severity scores from 6.2 to 3.1 (out of 9) [6]. Similar findings of very good efficacy of clobetasol preparations for scaly plaques of psoriasis on non-scalp sites, in the absence of keratolytic treatment, have been observed in numerous clinical trials [7-10].

Whereas keratolytics do have some efficacy in treating psoriasis, the clinical trial data show that thick, scaly psoriasis lesions do respond well to topical corticosteroids alone. The high efficacy of topical corticosteroids for even very thick psoriatic plaques should be expected given the poor barrier function of lesional skin [11, 12]. The dogma that keratolytics are "needed" to treat thick psoriatic plaques may be too strong of an assertion. Most psoriatic plaques, even very thick lesions, can be treated rapidly and effectively with highpotency topical corticosteroids alone in clinical trials. The resistance of some psoriasis plaques in clinical practice is probably more a function of poor compliance than it is poor penetration. Although de-scaling agents may enhance efficacy in some clinical trials, the added complexity of treatment in clinical practice may reduce compliance and worsen outcomes. Perhaps Rook's Textbook of Dermatology would be more accurate if it said, "even the most potent [corticosteroid] is useless if NOT painted on the surface of thickly heaped-up psoriasis."

References
1. Rook A, Burns T, Breathnach S, Cox N, Griffiths C: Rook's textbook of dermatology. ed 7th, 2004. 2. Habif TP: Psoriasis and other papulosquamous diseases; Clinical dermatology : a color guide to diagnosis and therapy. Philadelphia, Mosby, 2004. 3. Bolognia J, Jorizzo JL, Rapini RP: Dermatology. New York, Mosby, 2003. 4. Katz HI, Lindholm JS, Weiss JS, Shavin JS, Morman M, Bressinck R, Cornell R, Pariser DM, Pariser RJ, Weng W, .: Efficacy and safety of twice-daily augmented betamethasone dipropionate lotion versus clobetasol propionate solution in patients with moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis. Clin Ther 1995;17:390-401. [PubMed] 5. Andreassi L, Giannetti A, Milani M: Efficacy of betamethasone valerate mousse in comparison with standard therapies on scalp psoriasis: an open, multicentre, randomized, controlled, cross-over study on 241 patients. Br J Dermatol 2003;148:134-138. [PubMed] 6. Griffiths CE, Finlay AY, Fleming CJ, Barker JN, Mizzi F, Arsonnaud S: A randomized, investigator-masked clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo and tar blend 1% shampoo in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. J Dermatolog Treat 2006;17:90-95. [PubMed] 7. Broby-Johansen U, Karlsmark T, Petersen LJ, Serup J: Ranking of the antipsoriatic effect of various topical corticosteroids applied under a hydrocolloid dressing--skin-thickness, blood-flow and colour measurements compared to clinical assessments. Clin Exp Dermatol 1990;15:343-348. [PubMed] 8. Reygagne P, Mrowietz U, Decroix J, de Waard-van der Spek FB, Acebes LO, Figueiredo A, Caputo R, Poncet M, Arsonnaud S: Clobetasol propionate shampoo 0.05% and calcipotriol solution 0.005%: a randomized comparison of efficacy and safety in subjects with scalp psoriasis. J Dermatolog Treat 2005;16:31-36. [PubMed] 9. Beutner K, Chakrabarty A, Lemke S, Yu K: An intra-individual randomized safety and efficacy comparison of clobetasol propionate 0.05% spray and its vehicle in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. J Drugs Dermatol 2006;5:357-360. [PubMed] 10. Angelo JS, Kar BR, Thomas J: Comparison of clinical efficacy of topical tazarotene 0.1% cream with topical clobetasol propionate 0.05% cream in chronic plaque psoriasis: a double-blind, randomized, right-left comparison study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2007;73:65. [PubMed] 11. Serup J, Blichmann C: Epidermal hydration of psoriasis plaques and the relation to scaling. Measurement of electrical conductance and transepidermal water loss. Acta Derm Venereol 1987;67:357-359. [PubMed] 12. Schaefer H, Zesch A, Stuttgen G: Penetration, permeation, and absorption of triamcinolone acetonide in normal and psoriatic skin. Arch Dermatol Res 1977;258:241-249. [PubMed]

Moisturizing agents:
Moisturizers (emollients) restore water and oils to the skin and help to maintain skin hydration. They typically contain glycerin, mineral oil, or petrolatum and are available as lotions, creams, ointments, and bath oils. Stronger moisturizers contain urea 2%, lactic acid 5 to 12%, and glycolic acid 10% (higher concentrations are used as keratinolytics, eg, for ichthyosis). They are most effective when applied to already moistened skin (ie, after a bath or shower).

Keratolytics:
Keratolytics soften and facilitate exfoliation of epidermal cells. Examples include 3 to 6% salicylic acid MEDIPLAST PROPA PH STRI-DEX Click for Drug Monograph and urea. Salicylic acid MEDIPLAST PROPA PH STRI-DEX Click for Drug Monograph is used to treat psoriasis, seborrhea, acne, and warts. Adverse effects are burning and systemic toxicity if large areas are covered. It should rarely be used in children and infants. Urea is used to treat plantar keratodermas and ichthyosis. Adverse effects are irritation and intractable burning. It should not be applied to large surface areas

Keratolytics: are medications designed to dissolve skin

flakes and scales. Removing these scales not only improves the appearance of the skin and minimizes dandruff, it also helps other topical .medications to penetrate the skin better Most keratolytics are available over the counter. The ingredients most commonly found in keratolytics include salicylic acid, urea, lactic acid and phenol. Ask your pharmacist for recommendations of products containing these ingredients