Does Salicylic Acid Work?
Salicylic acid is the most commonly used beta hydroxy acid and is considered one of the most effective ingredients in skincare for fighting blemishes and acne. Salicylic acid is found in over-the-counter formulas and is often used in professional peels. It comes in different strengths. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor or dermatologist to ensure that it is safe to use salicylic acid on your skin.
Effective BHAs exfoliate by removing dead skin cells from the outer surface, which, if left on the surface, often lead to pimples, acne, blackheads, and other breakouts. They reveal a bright, radiant, and healthy complexion by dissolving the glue that holds the dead skin cells in place. Salicylic acid, in its higher concentration, has exfoliating properties that can easily resolve these skin issues.
Pimples
Acne scars
Hyperpigmentation
Dark spots
Sunspots
Age spots
Melasma
This should give you a better idea of the acid’s effects. Therefore, be careful when adding salicylic acid to your skin care routine.
Unlike its cousin AHA, salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the skin, reach the pores and remove excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, and other impurities. If you want to learn more about the benefits of salicylic acid for skin care, you can find a detailed blog post about it on The Beauty Insiders.
Now let’s answer the question “Does salicylic acid work?” If you’ve ever wondered this, stay tuned because everything will become clearer by the end of today’s blog post.
How long does it take for salicylic acid to work?
Consistently use salicylic acid products without any signs of irritation or severe dryness, and you can see significant improvements in all issues such as dull, lackluster skin, dry patches, and other blemishes and rashes in about 6-8 weeks.
A common phenomenon when using salicylic acid is skin detoxification, which means that rashes and acne may temporarily worsen. This is completely normal, as it’s just the potent BHA that penetrates deep into the pores to remove dirt, bacteria, and general gunk that can lead to more pimples and blackheads. Don’t give up, stick with it and you’ll notice clearer, healthier skin soon.
If you don’t see any improvement after 8 weeks, especially if your main concern is treating acne and pimples, you should stop using the product and seek advice from a dermatologist to find a better alternative.
Can I use salicylic acid every day?
Yes, you can use salicylic acid. In fact, you can use it twice a day in your morning and night skincare routine. However, using it every day doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do it, even if it’s completely safe. You know your skin best. So if you feel that using salicylic acid every day will cause more problems, try using it less often. You can also pair salicylic acid products with products that are rich in moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and squalane to combat potential dryness.
Regardless of your skin type, you should always wear sunscreen, preferably with an SPF of 30 or higher, every day when using BHAs as it is essential for the health of your skin and complete protection against UV radiation.
Does salicylic acid make acne worse?
Not really. As I mentioned before, your acne and breakouts may get worse after about 4 weeks of using salicylic acid. Although frustrating, this is a very common problem for anyone applying this powerful ingredient to their face for the first time. You can even consider this a sign that the AHA is working and after another 3-4 weeks, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your skin tone, fewer breakouts, and beautiful, clear skin.
Does salicylic acid remove blackheads?
Yes, it absolutely does! Unlike other chemical peels like glycolic acid, salicylic acid penetrates deep into the skin. Once it reaches the pores, it clears them of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, and other impurities that clog the pores and oxidize on the surface and turn black — hence the name blackhead.
Salicylic acid cleanses the skin from the inside out. When the pores are unblocked, the acid also removes dead skin cells from the outer surface of the skin, helping to reveal new, fresh skin cells underneath.
Regular use of salicylic acid-rich products can keep pores free of dirt and bacteria, preventing the formation of blackheads, whiteheads, and other blemishes while keeping them clear and invisible to the naked eye.
Should salicylic acid be used in the morning or at night?
You can use them both morning and night! This largely depends on your skin type and whether your skin has built up a tolerance to the active ingredient. If you’ve never used salicylic acid before, I recommend going slow to avoid unnecessary dryness and irritation.
Start with a product that’s rich in toner at night, as the formula is less concentrated and therefore less irritating, but still exfoliates. You can then work your way up to a more concentrated product like a serum, which should also be used at night. As I mentioned before, salicylic acid can increase your skin’s sensitivity to light. So, be sure to apply an SPF every day to protect your skin from UV radiation.
Now that you know a little more about salicylic acid, hopefully we’ve been able to address some of your concerns about its effectiveness. If you have more skincare questions or just want to chat about skincare, check us out on Instagram.
