Salicylic Acid
Results
Side Effects

Widely available in over-the-counter skin care products in 0.5 - 2% strength, salicylic acid helps shed skin cells as well as reduce inflammation in the skin.

It's generally recommended to apply a salicylic acid-containing product 1-2 times per day, depending on your skin's tolerance and the product type.

3.6
6049
Read All About Salicylic Acid
Compare To Other Treatments
5
32.8%
4
28.4%
3
17.3%
2
10.9%
1
10.6%

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June 22, 2010
Product used: Dermalogica (Clean Start)

Pros:

The system worked for my skin the first 3-4 weeks.

Cons:

Leaves skin dry

It works at first, it dries out the areas where you have acne, but then you start to have breakouts on areas where you never broke out. Break outs appear as dark marks on skin.
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May 25, 2010
Product used: Clean & Clear (Dual Action Moisturizer Oil-Free)
This product burned my daughters face, not just turned it red but actually burned her face. Today is the 4th day and her cheeks and chin are still very, very red. It stings and also dried her face out. Never again will I buy any medicated product over the counter.
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April 16, 2010
Product used: Neutrogena (Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser)

Pros:

-Cleared up my friend's acne

Cons:

-Awful smell
-Burns
-caused me to have allergic reaction

This product works GREAT for one of my best friends. Her skin is beautiful! However, when I used it, only after the second time, I noticed my face was red, blotchy and ichy. when I woke up the next day, dear lord, my face was beat red, i had broken out in hives AND my skin was swelling! I go to school and i literally skipped it because I looked so awful! By the end of the day my skin was back to normal, but i'm DEFINITELY taking this back.
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April 14, 2010
Product used: Neutrogena (Oil-Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Cream Cleanser)

Pros:

reduces redness!
felt soothing/refreshing/clean
clears most pimples

Cons:

skin gets oily
have to wear sunscreen

this product did what it promised- reduced redness. my skin is usually supper red, and now it about normal. But it makes my skin more oily throughout the day. you also have to wear sunscreen because it has some kind of acid in it, which makes you skin sun sensitive. it does nothing for my blackheads.
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March 23, 2010
Product used: Aveda (Outer Peace Acne Relief Kit)

Pros:

this product is effective in clearing up acne and yet gentle on the skin, not drying at all

Cons:

not any cons

i have tried tons of acne lines and this is the first that has worked for me/ i get compliments on my skin now :)
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March 22, 2010
Product used: Neutrogena (Acne Stress Control Triple-Action Toner)

Pros:

Salicylic acid treatment

Cons:

Fragrance too strong, new formula doesn't always mean better

Didn't really work for me. The Clear Pore Formula (its predecessor) seems to dry up my acne better and prevent new pimples from forming.
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February 7, 2010
Product used: Clean & Clear (Advantage Acne Spot Treatment)

Pros:

got rid of most of my acne after about two or three days. the burning showed that it was working.

Cons:

the redness did not go away, if anything, it increased. if i used it more than twice a day, my skin actually turned purple. was a bit too strong for my skin.

this product does work in moderation and should not be used for people with sensitive skin. it may not clear up all acne, but definatly reduces them in size. the prize was a little bit to high for me. all in all it was a pretty good product
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February 1, 2010
Product used: Neutrogena (Oil-Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Cream Cleanser)

Pros:

Cleared most acne and cysts,good smell,very gentle,non-oily,reduced redness and hyperpigmentation significantly, makes skin very smooth,excellent efoliator with AHA

Cons:

works slowly on hyperpigmentation (red spots) and is not a stand-alone treatment for these,too thick

Excellent product, helped my active acne quickly and effectively. However, it takes a while to work on hyperpigmentation and you will most likely not see results with these for about two weeks.Still a great treatment to help clear acne and is a good product for being left on during night. Also in general,is one of the best-feeling treatments that I have used,is gentle and good for sensitive skin,but without being ineffective.
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January 4, 2010
Product used: Clean & Clear (Dual Action Moisturizer Oil-Free)

Pros:

Makes skin clearer, moisturizes good

Cons:

Kinda slow...

Pretty much good for smoothing skin, moisturizing, it even cleared up some of my acne! All in all, got rid of dry skin.
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February 10, 2010
Product used: KAVI (Salicylic Acid Peel)

Pros:

Works much better than glycolic acid on back acne.

Cons:

It burns when it's on!

I had been using KAVI's glycolic acid on my back to help heal the acne scarring I had from previous breakouts, but I was also getting new ones. SA is exfoliating but it's also actively controlling new breakouts, making it perfect for what I need.
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The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
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