Effect of topical salicylic acid on animal epidermopoiesis.

In contrast to its antihyperplastic effect on pathological proliferation of the epidermis, salicylic acid promotes epidermopoiesis in the normal guinea pig skin. After the application of 1% w/w salicylic acid in acetone-ethanol for 4 weeks, the thickness of the surface epithelium was increased by 40% and that of the deep epithelium by 19%. The mitotic index rose by 17%.