R’s Got Scars:
I’m a poor English major with a small, but visible scar on my face that I’m desperate to eradicate. I’ve tried numerous over the counter creams to deal with it, and absolutely nothing has worked. Well, during a recent trip to the drug store, I noticed that Dr. Scholl’s Callus Removal Liquid has an active ingredient of 17% salicylic acid. I’m familiar with salicylic acid, and it’s exfoliant properties, and know that many people have seen their scars greatly reduced by regular chemical peels–involving such chemicals as BHA–so my question is this: might it be possible to utilize the Dr. Scholl’s Callus Removal Liquid as a localized chemical peel, just in the area of my scar, so as to get the sort of results that I’d otherwise have to pay significantly more moolah for to have done full-face?
The Right Brain Replies:
Having read your question, and after considerable consultation with the Left Brain, our professional scientific opinion is that you should switch your major to something where you can make more money. You’ll still have a scar but at least you won’t care as much!
Sorry, just kidding about all that. In all seriousness, we don’t think Dr. Scholl’s Callus remover will do much on scars. Sal Acid just isn’t strong enough to do much to tough scar tissue. That doesn’t mean you have to do a full face chemical peel, though, you can always ask your dermatologist about just doing a peel on the scar itself. Good luck!
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I thought 2% was like the limit for salicylic acid in skincare products…
2% is the limit for acne products. This is not an acne product so different rules apply.
I tried removing a celoidal scar on my wrist once using Gena Callus RX (10% Salacylic Acid). The sking peeled off, but it didn’t really affect my scar, as far as I can tell. However, I think that the silicone scar-therapy sheets I used later did make a difference as the scar has now flaatened considerably and is no longer raised and prominent.
I have found Ponds Microdembrasion Scrub to be effective in reducing the appearance of scars withing a week or two and your skin looks healthy as well. I break out really easy as well as scar pretty bad, but i started to see a slight difference in my skin tone.
My keloids were raised and horrific. One day while shaving my knees, the razor slice one of my keloids right off my knee. Some bleeding occurred, I applied pressure to stop it. Then I applied Neosporin and covered with a fabric bandage meant for sensitive skin. The latex type always leaves dark hyperpigmentation where the adhesive touches the skin. Two days later when a firm scab formed, I continued to apply Neosporin every 8 hours. The “new scar” that formed was lighter, flatter and an improvement over the old keloid. I don’t recommend shaving off your old keloids, just advising consistent application of an anti-bacterial ointment can make a difference.
I surely could not afford corrective surgery or cosmetic treatments so I followed a cost effective regiment recommended by my dermatologist. For my remaining keloids, I firmly massaged cocoa butter onto the area every other day. The days in between I cleansed the area with a mild cleanser (Eucerin) and wore a silicone patch ( Rejuvess ) over the scar. Clothing over my arms and legs during this period concealed the silicone patches and cloth medical tape ( Johnson & Johnson) which stayed on for 24 hour periods. The silicone patches on my neck and face were applied as right after my evening shower after arriving home from work and adamantly not removed until I woke up in the morning, approximately 12 hours a day. It may seem time consuming but it was well worth it. You bet I didn’t have a social life for almost 4 months but it was worth it. I caught up on reading those books I purchased stacked next to my sofa and watched all the Oscar winning movies over my lifespan in the evenings. In 10 weeks all 8 of the keloid scars under my clothing flattened and the skin tone blended together. In 14 weeks the keloid scars on my face and neck also flattened and blended into my complexion. What do you know, dermatologists do know their stuff !