Evidence recordApplied to skin
Salicylic acid (BHA)
Answer
Studied in relation to clearer, less congested skin. Most of the record is in-clinic peels rather than the products on a shelf.
Check the formulaEvidence grade
Limited
The record is early, small, indirect, mixed or tightly tied to one formulation.
Where it stops
The everyday leave-on comparison rests on low-quality evidence from a small trial. Salicylic acid evidence is not equivalent to tretinoin evidence, and timing depends on the formulation you are holding.
Sources
Sources · 3
Source 1
Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020- Design
- Cochrane review
- Participants
- 46
- Measured outcome
- acne
- Studied formulation
- leave-on topical
Finding
Cochrane review: for people rating their own acne there may be little or no difference between salicylic acid and tretinoin, on low-quality evidence from 46 participants. Risk of bias and imprecision limit confidence.
- Design
- Review
- Measured outcome
- acne, comedones
- Studied formulation
- in-clinic chemical peel
Finding
Review of salicylic acid AS A PEELING AGENT: its comedolytic action makes it a useful peel for acne across skin types. It does not study leave-on products.
Source 3
J Cosmet Dermatol, 2011- Design
- Randomized controlled peel trial
- Reported numbers
- 48.5%
- Measured outcome
- non-inflammatory acne lesions
- Studied formulation
- in-clinic chemical peel
Finding
Peel RCT: reduced non-inflammatory lesions (~48.5% from baseline by Day 98).