Before using salicylic acid

To make sure this is the right treatment for you, before you start using salicylic acid it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• If you have diabetes, or poor circulation such as in Raynaud's disease.
• If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to any medicine.

How to use salicylic acid

• Before you start this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. The leaflet will give you more information about the brand you have been given and how to use it.
• Use salicylic acid exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has recommended. It is usual to apply most preparations once each day.
• If you are using it to remove warts or verrucas, rub off the dead tissue from the top of the wart once a week. You can do this with an emery board, pumice stone, or something similar. It may take two weeks or more before you notice any improvement, and it can take up to three months of daily applications for warts to go completely.

Getting the most from your treatment

• Try not to get salicylic acid on healthy areas of skin and do not apply it to skin which is raw or inflamed. You can protect the nearby skin by putting some Vaseline® on the normal skin beforehand or, alternatively, if you are using it as a wart treatment, you can use a plaster with a hole in it which just exposes the wart.
• If you are using salicylic acid for nail infections, do not use nail varnish or artificial nails at the same time.
• If you are using a topical liquid or paint, this may be flammable, so do not apply either of them near flames or open fires.
• You should not apply salicylic acid to your face because of the risk of skin irritation which may cause scarring.

Can salicylic acid cause problems?

Salicylic acid occasionally causes skin irritation, dryness, or soreness. If this happens, stop the treatment for a few days to allow your skin to recover, and then re-start treatment. If the irritation is severe, or if your skin becomes very red and itchy, these may be signs of an allergy - stop using salicylic acid and ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to salicylic acid, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store salicylic acid

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

Important information about all medicines

References

• British National Formulary; 63rd Edition (Mar 2012) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London (link to current BNF)