Can You Use Salicylic Acid Wart Remover on Acne?

Salicylic acid is one of the most common ingredients you will find in an array of at home wart treatments. It can work at ridding the skin from warts by exfoliating the layers of dead skin that can build-up. This build-up will only encourage the infection to remain or even worsen over time. You will also find with daily use not only will the wart disappear quicker, but your skin also surrounding the infection will appear healthier.

The question is, with salicylic acid being a favoured skincare ingredient for those prone to acne and blemishes, is it possible to use a formulation designed to tackle warts on acne? Even with the product containing salicylic acid, we wonder if it’s at all suitable to use on your face. So, let’s start our investigating and find out more about whether you can use salicylic acid wart remover on acne.

If you wanted to know more about salicylic acid as a skincare ingredient and all the benefits it can deliver, check out our dedicated blog post.

Can you use wart remover on pimple?

No, this isn’t a good idea. Although acne fighting skincare products usually contain salicylic acid, using a product formulated for wart removal on the face. The percentage of the BHA is extremely high in these formulas, and this can lead to the already potent ingredient, become too potent for the skin. This often leads to it becoming highly irritating, causing discomfort, itchiness, and redness. You will also find that the pimple you apply won’t improve with even more appearing next to it. This is a result of the salicylic acid being too harsh for the skin and stripping it of all the oil, this then leads to the skin overproducing oil and kick starts a vicious cycle of even more breakouts.

Can I use wart remover on my face?

Yes, you can, but only if it has been formulated to be applied to the face. This is because the level of salicylic acid needs to be suitable for the skin on the face otherwise you could experience many unwanted side effects.

There are a few different types of warts, here are some examples of the most common.

• Common warts- these often appear on areas, such as your hands, elbows, and knees.
• Flat warts- these are the type of warts that appear on the face, especially on the forehead.
• Plantar warts- these develop on the bottom of feet.
• Subungual and periungual warts- both these forms of warts appear under the toenails and fingernails.
• Genital warts- these are known to appear on the genital area, including the pubic bone and thigh area.

As you can see there are various types of warts which all require unique ways of being treated, from the type of product used, to the percentage of salicylic acid applied to the skin.

Can salicylic acid remove warts on face?

No, it is thought best to avoid using salicylic acid that is not originally formulated for treating warts on the face. This is because the formula containing salicylic acid is often too weak to penetrate to the root of the wart and requires a higher potency to effectively work at exfoliating the skin. Two thirds of warts tend to disappear of their own accord which many people find is the easiest way to handle the infection but can take up to over a year to leave the skin. Just be aware of keeping the area clean, avoid touching the wart too much, and always wash your hands after performing your skincare routine.

If you have any concerns with warts and the best way of treating them rapidly and effectively, it’s best to consult with your doctor or dermatologist to find the best products to treat any warts. 

How can I get rid of warts on my face?

Treating warts that occur on the face are notoriously difficult to cure compared to others. As I have already mentioned, many prefer to leave the warts to disappear of their own accord, but this can take up to a year, and sometimes longer to leave the face completely. By leaving a wart to heal on its own, you are also at risk of spreading the infection to other areas of the face, as simply touching the infected area will spread the virus.

There are some home remedies you can use to treat warts on the face, but word of warning, if you find your warts are anywhere near the eye area, do not treat yourself and instead seek the help of your doctor.

Here are some examples of some home remedies to try once given the go ahead from your doctor.

• Garlic extract- Garlic gloves contain allium sativum, a compound known for its antiviral properties. Many use garlic as a rapid treatment for warts by applying a crushed glove onto the affected area and wrapping it in a bandage and leaving it on the skin overnight. Garlic can cause chemical burns to the skin, so if you find you begin to itch, or the skin is burning or tingling, remove the garlic and wash the area with clean water.
• Lemon juice- rich in citric acid, lemon juice can kill the bacteria and the virus in its tracks. Do not however, apply neat lemon juice to the skin as this will cause extreme irritation. Instead ensure you dilute one part lemon juice with two parts water. Although this is a highly effective method of ridding the skin of flat warts (the ones common to form on the face) it can take some time for them to disappear.

As I have mentioned already, avoid using these at home remedies if you haven’t discussed them with your doctor or dermatologist.

For many suffering from wart infections, seeking medical assistance is thought to be the best way of tackling wart removal. Here are some of the most popular methods used by medical professionals.

1. Cryotherapy- this works when a doctor injects or topically applies nitrogen into the wart. This freezes the virus and will eventually result in the wart dropping off but will need several courses over the space of 2 to 3 weeks.
2. Cantharidin- this is a highly potent blistering agent that increases the risk of chemical burns for the skin. It can be very painful but is an effective way of treating the infection. Once the cantharidin is applied to the wart, it will form a blister over the surface of the area enabling the doctor to remove the infection completely.
3. Electrosurgery and curettage- these procedures can be used separately or combined to burn the wart and scrap away the virus.
4. Surgical removal- this procedure is left to treat filiform warts, that appear risen from the skin and can cause some discomfort throughout day-to-day life. This should only be performed by a doctor or medically trained professional.

There you have some examples of medical and at home treatments for warts. We hope you have found this blog post informative today, and if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to contact us on Instagram, you’ll find one of our skincare experts in the direct messages!