Novel compositions comprising one or more of an acid 
protease and an acidic buffer, the acidic buffer comprising an acid and a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable carrier, vehicle or 
excipient, useful for treating or preventing abnormal biological conditions, diseases or disorders, and / or for improving the texture or appearance of the 
skin, and / or for enhancing epidermal exfoliation and / or for enhancing epidermal 
cell renewal and to methods for the use of the compositions. The acid 
protease comprises one or more 
proteolytic enzymes which exhibit proteolytic activity at pH values below that of the surface of the 
skin, i.e., approximately pH 5.5. The acidic buffer comprises at least one acidic buffering component that can reversibly disassociate 
hydrogen ions and has buffering capacity at pH values below that of the surface of the 
skin, i.e., approximately pH 5.5. or mixtures thereof with a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable carrier, vehicle or 
excipient. The buffer is capable of reducing the pH of the surface of the skin to less than pH 5.5 and is susceptible to 
neutralization by normal epidermal processes. Such types of abnormal biological conditions, diseases or disorders include 
skin atrophy, i.e., the 
thinning and / or general degradation of the 
dermis often characterized by a decrease in collagen and / or 
elastin as well as decreased number, size and doubling potential of 
fibroblast cells, and other maladies including, but are not limited to 
dry skin, severe 
dry skin, 
dandruff, 
acne, keratoses, 
psoriasis, eczema, skin flakiness, pruritus, age spots, lentigines, melasmas, wrinkles, warts, blemished skin, 
hyperpigmented skin, hyperkeratotic skin, inflammatory dermatoses, age-related skin changes and skin in need of cleansers.