For example, salicylic acid, which works to unclog pores, is also a “mild chemical irritant.” Kathleen Suozzi, a dermatologic surgeon at Yale School of Medicine explains that this means salicylic acid also works as a drying agent and can cause skin redness and flaking if used too much.
Irritation and Peeling
You could develop painful, pus-filled blisters and severe damage to your skin. The bottom line — if you notice redness, irritation and peeling, stop using the problematic product.
It is safe to use products with salicylic acid every day, unless it is specified otherwise on the product usage guidelines or by your health care professional. CeraVe's SA Smoothing Cream and SA Smoothing Cleanser are suitable for daily use.
Acne treatments — especially those that contain active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid — are drying and a bit harsh on your skin. If you use too many treatments at the same time, your skin may become irritated, and you may actually suffer more breakouts as a result.
"Salicylic and glycolic acids will definitely help reduce the oily shine on your face and even dry up your inflamed pimples, but using it more than once a day can strip your skin of the natural oils it needs and, if it makes your skin super-dry and irritated, can actually encourage your skin to produce more oil to ...
How often should you use salicylic acid? You are able to use salicylic acid twice daily, but only after your skin has built its tolerance. Oily and acne prone skin will benefit from frequent application, however precautionary actions should always be followed when using this potent ingredient.
Michaella Bolder, a skincare expert, told Harper's Bazaar, "Salicylic acid 0.5 percent or 2 percent is always best for acne sufferers and oily skin types as this mild ingredient effectively regulates your sebum production while the antibacterial properties work to eliminate bacteria on the surface of the skin.
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.
Generally speaking, dermatologists say purging should be over within four to six weeks of starting a new skin care regimen. If your purge lasts longer than six weeks, consult your dermatologist. It could be that you need to adjust the dosage and/or frequency of application.
You get the maximum benefit when you adjust your skin to start using it twice a day. But, if you are sensitive to salicylic acid and using it up regularly left your skin dry, red, and peeling, then use it as a toner and leave it up for up to 30 seconds and then rinse off.
I started applying salicylic acid after the cleansing and toning steps and before moisturising. It is important that you let your skin absorb the product.
Salicylic acid is the preferred ingredient for treating blackheads and whiteheads because it breaks down the materials that clog pores: excess oil. dead skin cells.
Salicylic acid may be used morning and night. Because it's so gentle, it may also be applied as a midday spot treatment.
However, it's not a good idea to start using 4% BHA every day if you've never tried a BHA before. Instead, start off by applying the product once a week. If you experience no adverse reactions (like stinging, dry skin or excessive redness), increase your usage to twice a week.
Signs of over-exfoliation
“The skin appears as if it has a radiant shine. However, it is in fact very dry and exposed.” And overexposure can devolve into painful cracking and peeling, explains Geria. For reference, a healthy glow will always look plump and moisturized, not dry, thin, or waxy.
Precautions for Salicylic Acid Use
Also, because salicylic acid does affect pigmentations, darker skin types may want to avoid salicylic acid, particularly in high concentrations, to prevent unnatural-looking hypopigmentation.
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 purging of the skin starts after a few days of using a new product. In a breakout, the appearance of the acne and blackheads can be concentrated on any area of the face. Purging appears uniformly all over the face.
What is skin purging? “Skin purging occurs when a product or process speeds up the skin's cell turnover, leading to tiny open or closed comedones that usually manifest as white heads on the skin.”
Skin purging is a process that happens when certain skincare ingredients increase skin cell turnover. This encourages shedding of old, dead cells and growth of new, healthy ones. Unfortunately, this process often makes the skin look worse before it looks better.
Purging is a sign that the product is working and you should continue with the treatment as prescribed. After a few weeks of purging, your skin and acne will have noticeably improved. Breaking out is when your skin is reacting because it is sensitive to something in the new product.
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.
I Don't Have Acne. Should I Still Use Salicylic Acid? In a word, yes. It not only offers a whole slew of therapeutic benefits for treating skin conditions like warts and psoriasis, but it also helps with more superficial concerns, namely, signs of aging.
No, salicylic acid is not a skin lightening (as in whitening) agent and therefore, it cannot lighten your skin. However, since salicylic acid has the ability to exfoliate your skin's surface and remove dead skin cells, it can help give your skin a brighter more even complexion.
How often can you use it: Marmur says salicylic acid should be used in moderation until you know your skin can handle it without irritation. If your skin tolerates it, you can increase the frequency to twice a day, unless you know you'll be getting direct sun exposure, then it should only be applied at night.