Chemistry in acne products

            Acne problem is quite common nowadays especially for teenagers. So what is your first reaction when the picture shown above comes across your mind? Oh my god? Yuck? How come this happen? Did the person not get enough sleep or rest in the past few days or have taken too much oily food? If you are that person or maybe he or she is your friend, what suggestions you will give and how you going to solve this problem?

I am pretty sure that buy over-the-counter products will be the primary solution for most of the readers. But,  there are so many acne products available in this market, such as Clean and Clear, Oxy, Neutrogena, Biore and etc. which ones you gonna to choose? Erm, I guess most of you will end up buying the products that your friends recommended. Have you ever asked yourself, it is the acne product you choose is suit your skin condition?  Different people has different skin condition, the acne product your friends recommended doesn’t mean is suit you (possibly more and more acnes appear or allergic to certain chemicals). Therefore, today I’m going to write a blog post about the ingredients that you may found in most of the acne products and what of its function.

First and foremost, salicylic acid is commonly found in acne products. It is a compound that obtained naturally from the bark of the white willow and wintergreen leaves and it can be prepared synthetically. Its molecular formula is C₇H₆O_3, which also known as 2-hydroxybenzenecarboxylic acid. The diagram below shows the chemical structure of salicylic acid:

You may be shock that as you possibly will find this in most of the fever pills, relieve pain products because salicylic acid is the main metabolite of aspirin.  Not only acne products but some of the cleanser contains this ingredient as well.

Its function included:

• Promotes the healthy shedding of skin cells
•  Skin cell slough off more steadily 
• Prevents the dead skin cells from combining with the sebum on your skin
• Prevents the pores from clogging up
• Softens and loosens dry, scaly or thickened skin so that the skin cells can be removed easily
• Reduces redness and unplugging blocked skin pores to allow pimples to shrink

*Due to its acidic nature properties, salicylic acid is toxic to bacteria. Consequently, this ingredient is common and found in most of the acne products.  

Resorcinol is another ingredient than you may found in acne products. The molecular formula of resorcinol is C₆H₄ (OH) ₂ and it also known as benzene-1,3-diol.

Its function includes:

• Remove hardened, roughly and scaly skin cells
• Break down the comedones (small, flesh-colored, white, or dark bumps that form a rough texture on skin).

The diagram below shows the chemical structure of resorcinol:

Those black spots are comedones  

The comedones formed by acne and mostly found at the opening of a pore associated with acne. By breaking down the comedones may remove the obstructions that blockage your pores as well. Make sure that you are not allergic to resorcinol. It is only allowed to use on skin, avoid from your eyes and mouth. Be careful, there are few possible side effects of resorcinol. Such as nausea, headache, slow heart rate, skin irritation or skin redness. If you have any of these symptoms, must immediately stop using the acne product and seek help from medicals professionals.  Moreover, remember don’t use too much of resorcinol as it may absorb into our bloodstream and to prevents any side effects occur.

            Other than salicylic acid and resorcinol, benzoyl peroxide is another acne product’s ingredient. The molecular formula is C₁₄H₁₀O₄. Benzoyl peroxide has been used to remove acnes for few decades. The chemical structure of benzoyl peroxide as shown below:

 

One of its significant functions: target a specific bacterium, known as propionibacterium acnes and markedly reduce it. What is propionibacterium acne? Propionibacterium acne is a bacterium that present on all human skin and mostly detected after puberty. This bacterium caused the growing of acne. You may curious on how benzoyl peroxide kills this specific bacterium. Benzoyl peroxide is an oxidizer, with the present of oxygen, propionibacterium acnes cannot survive.

Propionibacterium

Other functions of benzoyl peroxide:

•  Frees the skin from excess oil, mainly around nose, forehead and cheeks and smaller the skin pores
•  Keep the skin pores away from debris and bacteria
• Prolong using benzoyl peroxide minimize the chance of the further outbreak of acne as well

Nonetheless, benzoyl peroxide can cause several side effects. For example, skin irritation, skin redness, itching, slight stinging or dryness of skin. Picture as shown below: skin irritate due to benzoyl peroxide

            A lot of ingredients have its own side effects. Remember read or check the ingredients and the directions to prevent allergic reaction or side effects. If you feel uncomfortable, instantaneously stop using the acne product and ask for help from doctors or pharmacist.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRODUCT, SAY GOODBYE TO ACNES.

Thanks for reading ; )