Aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylic acid and is sometimes used as a topical treatment for acne. However due to different opinions about side effects, aspirin is not as widely used today as it used to be for acne and other problems such as headaches, etc.
Why would a doctor prescribe me aspirin to treat acne?
If you are having trouble treating and preventing your acne then a doctor may very well prescribe you aspirin in a topical form for a few days to treat and prevent your acne. The topical aspirin is often applied over the skin lesions. It should be noted that if certain side effects have been known to occur. These include redness and peeling of the skin. If you notice either of these things happening then it should be immediately reported to the physician treating you, and the treatment should be stopped immediately.
Aspirins have been found effective in treating acne because they act rapidly to reduce the inflammation that occurs from acne breakouts. The medication also depresses sebum production thus leading to the breakdown of the comedone plugs. The anti-inflammatory action found in Aspirin suppresses the action of the organism causing inflammation this initially causes an amount of redness or scaling to sometimes occur as mentioned above, however the skin usually adjusts to its use, but it is always wise to let a physician know if your notice this happening so they can give you their advice on whether you should continue or discontinue treatment. Everybody’s skin is different, and everybody’s skin reacts differently.
Aspirin is both available over the counter and as a prescription. What you need for treatment will depend on what your physician or dermatologist decide. A combination of Aspirin types both orally and topical and dosage may vary. It all just depends on the person and the specific case of acne the person is suffering from.
Other ways to use Aspirin topically to treat and prevent acne
Besides applying Aspirin creams topically to the skin, there are other ways that Aspirin can be applied to treat and prevent acne. A few are as follows.
- Powdered and applied as a face mask or paste – Sometimes instead of using an Aspirin gel or cream, the Aspirin can be powdered and applied as a face mask or a face wash to treat and prevent acne. This can be done by crushing a few Aspirin tablets into fine powder and making it into a form of paste using water. Once this process is complete you will want to apply the paste to over the face, neck, or wherever else you have acne. The paste can applied once a week and kept on for 10-15 minutes and then be washed off with warm water. If itching or irritation occurs then the mask should be removed immediately.
- Powdered and applied as a face wash – For a face wash treatment, crush Aspirin tablets into a coarse powder and mix with water (like a scrub) to wash the face. This face wash scrub can be used once or twice daily but should not be used for more than 12 weeks. Again, if you notice any itching, irritation or other skin reactions the wash should be removed immediately. It is always wise to consult a dermatologist or physician before trying any treatment as well as each person’s acne is different, and each person’s skin reacts differently to different types of treatment.
People who are allergic to Aspirin or who have very sensitive skin should not use Aspirin as a way to treat acne. When applied to the face your skin is very porous and it will absorb the Aspirin as if you had swallowed the pill. For anyone thinking about using Aspirin as a treatment for acne should be sure that they are not allergic to the drug before proceeding and should also read all of the fine print on the bottle before trying anything. If you have a condition such as asthma, heartburn or an ulcer then you should not be using Aspirin as a way to treat your acne or at all for that matter.
There is not much research on taking Aspirin orally for the treatment in acne, however as mentioned before the use of Aspirin is not widely used today by doctors anyway due to differences in opinions and side effects. As always use caution, your best judgment and the advice of a professional when treating your acne with home remedies such as Aspirin.
