If used for a long time, it can make your skin become dry and thin, he says, which could lead to more fine lines and wrinkles—although managing dosages and days of use can prevent this.
Although salicylic acid is considered safe overall, it may cause skin irritation when first starting. It may also remove too much oil, resulting in dryness and potential irritation. Other potential side effects include : skin tingling or stinging.
"If salicylic acid is an ingredient in your cleanser, it is fine to use it every day." However, if you are using an exfoliant that has salicylic acid in the formula, Dr. Hu advises only using the product three times per week, to avoid over-exfoliating the skin and drying it out.
Not only will it be too irritating on the skin, but it'll also strip the skin barrier of the essential oil and water. This will have a knock-on effect as your skin will feel it needs to produce more sebum which can result in a flare-up of breakouts and spots.
Salicylic acid may produce mild side effects, such as skin irritation or peeling. If people experience more severe side effects, they should stop using the product and contact their doctor.
AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
Signs that treatment is effective
Wart medications, such as salicylic acid, gradually peel away layers of a wart until it reaches the same level as the skin. People may notice the wart becoming flatter over time.
Anti-Acne Treatments: Most over-the-counter acne treatments are capped at 2 percent salicylic acid for creams and gels meant to remain on the skin. If you have particularly sensitive skin, look for less intense products, which may include as little as half a percent of salicylic acid.
We have also heard of reports that when people have used it on their skin, it develops a kind of addiction to the ingredient. As when they stop using it their skin overreacts, and they can have quite severe breakouts and their skin becomes clogged.
The exfoliating properties of salicylic acid boost skin cell renewal. This, in turn, stimulates collagen production and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen also gives your face structure and prevents saggy and ageing skin.
Skin purging occurs because of some ingredients that accelerate your body's natural process of getting rid of dead skin cells. Products that contain certain components—including lactic acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and retinoids—are likely the culprits of your acne breakout.
Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than recommended on the label, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. To do so may increase the chance of absorption through the skin and the chance of salicylic acid poisoning. This medicine is for use only on the skin.
The OTC salicylic acid was available at 1-5% concentrations used for gentle exfoliation and breakouts treatment. Salicylic acid 2% serum is for you if you have acne prone-skin and excessively oily skin. It helps reduce and prevents acne blemishes, smooth skin texture, and keeps the oils in check.
Retinoids such as Tretinoin, acids such as salicylic, and benzoyl peroxide are just a few of the products that cause purging. These products contain active ingredients that increase the skin cell turnover rate, therefore causing your skin to purge.
Acne products typically last four to six months. Common ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide break down rather quickly once exposed to air and may cause more irritation to the skin.
Skin purging occurs because newly introduced skincare ingredients increase the rate at which your skin cells turnover, causing you to shed more dead skin cells than usual. This, in turn, pushes layers of dead skin off and also brings clogged pores to the surface, Chang says, resulting in more breakouts.
"The benefits of salicylic acid are a reduction in blackheads and whiteheads; it also has some anti-inflammatory properties. Irritation is, again, a possible side effect," says Dr. Kim. "It's usually used in concentrations ranging from 0.5 to two percent in acne products.
Can I use salicylic acid every day? You can use your salicylic acid cleanser every day, but you should not use an exfoliant that contains salicylic acid more than three times per week to avoid drying your skin.
It is advised by some skincare experts that using a salicylic acid product overnight enables the ingredient to work without being disturbed with the exposure to free radicals, such as pollution or UV rays.
Salicylic acid starts working by 2-3 weeks, and takes around 2-3 months to show full effect. This potent antioxidant reduces pigmentation and builds up skin collagen. You will start noticing a brighter complexion in 4-6 weeks but actual improvements, in terms of dark spots reduction, will take around 3-4 months.
When Youll See Results: When you use a product with salicylic acid, there are some immediate improvements, because it helps dry out pimples, Dr. Zeichner says. But getting the full blemish-busting effects takes about 12 weeks of regular use.
Salicylic acid works more effectively when layered with niacinamide. Niacinamide is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and helps with acne. It's always good to use salicylic acid in a cleanser or a face mask and layer it with niacinamide.
There are times when using products that contain salicylic acid can make the skin appear worse before it gets better. This is down to a process called 'skin purging' that can occur after treatment with salicylic acid.