What does overuse of salicylic acid do?

Author: Dr. Jakayla Hill  |  Last update: Thursday, March 27, 2025

There can always be too much of a good thing and salicylic acid is no different. The main negative side effect when overused is it can irritate and cause excess dryness. If you have sensitive skin, choose your formula carefully as some products contain denatured alcohol, which can be additionally drying.

What happens if you overuse salicylic acid?

Skin reactions such as peeling/burning/dry/reddened skin may occur, especially at the start of treatment. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. You may need to apply smaller amounts of the drug or use it less often.

Is it bad to use salicylic acid every day?

It is safe to use products with salicylic acid in everyday skin care, unless it is specified otherwise on the product usage guidelines or by your health care professional. CeraVe's Salicylic Acid range includes products such as Cerave's SA Smoothing Cream and SA Smoothing Cleanser that are suitable for daily use.

What does salicylic acid purging look like?

When purging your skin, you'll typically see blackheads and small, flesh-coloured bumps rather than inflamed pustules, nodules or deeper cysts. But this is not an absolute rule. Overall, acne caused by skin purging often tends to appear and then disappear much faster than classic breakouts.

Why am I getting more pimples after using salicylic acid?

1 Known as "skin purging," worsening acne is a short-term reaction to ingredients that speed up cell turnover. Salicylic acid helps your body quickly get rid of dead skin cells. As a result, those dead skin cells, dirt, and oils appear on the surface of your skin, which clogs your pores and causes acne.

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How to know if salicylic acid is working?

When using salicylic acid or other acne treatments, it may take 6-8 weeks to start noticing results. Anyone who does not see an improvement in their acne after this time may wish to contact a doctor or dermatologist for advice on alternative treatment options.

What happens if you leave salicylic acid on too long?

Due to its highly effective abilities to penetrate the pores it can become severely drying to the skin and result in some skin side effects from dry patches of skin, redness, peeling, and overall dryness and discomfort.

How do I heal my skin barrier?

How to prevent and heal damage to your skin barrier
  1. Wash with warm (but not scalding) water. ...
  2. Use a soap-free cleanser. ...
  3. Exfoliate gently. ...
  4. Don't over-cleanse. ...
  5. Keep skin moisturized. ...
  6. Wear sunscreen! ...
  7. Treat pimples with care. ...
  8. Keep your skin's pH balanced.

Why am I still breaking out with a good skincare routine?

Even with a good skincare routine, breakouts can still happen if the routine isn't matched to your skin's specific needs. Your skin might benefit from tweaking the products you use, possibly changing ingredients or dosages in your acne treatments.

What percentage of salicylic acid is in CeraVe?

CeraVe is the #1 dermatologist-recommended cleanser brand for acne*, and our new Acne Control Cleanser with 2% salicylic acid is formulated to clear acne, reduce blackheads and improve the appearance of pores, while purifying clay helps absorb excess oil.

Who should avoid salicylic acid?

Also, do not use this medicine if you are a diabetic or if you have poor blood circulation. Do not use this medicine on warts with hair growing from them or on warts on the face, in or on the genital (sex) organs, or inside the nose or mouth. Also do not use on moles or birthmarks. To do so may cause severe irritation.

How do I know if I'm over exfoliating?

Red, irritated skin is likely the first sign that you exfoliate too much. Immediately after any exfoliation, the skin will appear slightly red and puffy. However, if the redness and irritation linger for hours or into the next day, you can be sure that you've gone a bit too far.

Can salicylic acid cause hair loss?

Rachel Maiman, MD, FAAD, boardcertified dermatologist at Marmur Medical says that salicylic acid gives the most benefits to the scalp rather than the hair itself. Since it improves scalp health, however, salicylic acid may also support hair growth since it's creating a better environment for hair to grow in.

Is 2% salicylic acid too strong?

When it comes down to what percentage of salicylic acid is good for acne, here's our rule of thumb: Most skin types, especially normal to oily, can get away with using 2%. If your skin tends to be on the dry or sensitive side, start with a lower percentage or opt for the 2% but use it 2-3 times a week instead of daily.

How do I tell if my skin barrier is damaged?

Consider the following common symptoms of skin barrier damage:
  • General skin sensitivity when exposed to certain products or environmental allergens, irritants, and aggressors.
  • Frequent inflammation or swelling of skin.
  • Skin redness and discoloration that occurs frequently.
  • Dry, itchy, or generally irritated skin.

Does vitamin C break the skin barrier?

Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, support the skin's barrier function by enhancing the production of barrier lipids (remember, a damaged skin barrier happens when too many lipids are broken down). Antioxidants also have natural healing properties to reduce inflammation and protect against water loss.

Does vaseline repair skin barriers?

When your barrier is weak because you don't have enough lipids in your skin, Vaseline acts as a substitute for these lipids. Remember the brick-and-mortar analogy? Vaseline fills in the cracks in your skin's “mortar” so that your barrier starts to act in a healthy way again.

Can you overdo salicylic acid?

There can always be too much of a good thing and salicylic acid is no different. The main negative side effect when overused is it can irritate and cause excess dryness. If you have sensitive skin, choose your formula carefully as some products contain denatured alcohol, which can be additionally drying.

Can I leave 2% salicylic acid on overnight?

Can I put salicylic acid on my face overnight? Yes, you can, but only if you have used salicylic acid before and your skin has a tolerance for it. But if you have extremely dry skin that suffers a lot from changes in your skin care regimen, you should avoid leaving it on your face overnight.

Why you shouldn't use salicylic acid everyday?

Yes, potent ingredients such as salicylic acid can often result in a flare-up of irritation and negative skin reactions. This is normally due to the increase of the exfoliation of dead skin cells which can often cause dryness and discomfort.

How do I know if I am using too much salicylic acid?

Confusingly, an increase in spots after incorporating Salicylic acid into your routine could also be a sign that you're using too much Salicylic acid or too many blemish-busting treatments in total. When it's overwhelmed, dehydrated and irritated, your skin can start to act out – leading to more breakouts.

What does a dead wart look like?

However, other visual and tactile signs can indicate that the wart has died: Its colour gradually changes from flesh-coloured to black or dark brown; It turns white, if it has been treated with liquid nitrogen or a salicylic-acid solution.

What pairs well with salicylic acid?

For an enhanced skincare regimen, you can pair your salicylic acid serum with the following active ingredients:
  • Hyaluronic acid serum and salicylic acid serum. ...
  • Niacinamide serum and salicylic acid serum. ...
  • Alpha arbutin serum and salicylic acid serum.

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