Acne.org ProductsThe following side effects are expected to occur in the first few days of treatment and resolve with continued use of salicylic acid. Contact your doctor if these symptoms are severe and/or do not go away after:
How Common (based on clinical studies)
| Skin dryness | Up to 32.3% of all users |
| Irritation of the skin | Up to 32% of all users |
| Skin darkening/lightning (more often in non-Caucasian people) | Up to 20% of all users |
| Skin peeling or scaling | Up to 17.6% of all users |
| Tingling or stinging sensation in the area | Up to 17% of all users |
| Crusting | Up to 11.7% of all users |
| Redness and/or warmth over the area | Up to 4% of all users |
| Itching | Up to 2% of all users |
Salicylic acid may cause some side effects that are serious. If you experience any of the following, get in touch with your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Changes in hearing
- Ringing in the ears
- Headache
- Confusion or dizziness
- Extreme fatigue or weakness
- Increased rate of breathing
If you experience any of the following side effects, stop using salicylic acid immediately and contact your doctor or get emergency medical care right away:
- A sudden appearance of swelling and rash (known as hives)
- Swelling of the eyes, lips, tongue, or entire face
- Severe itching
- Trouble with breathing
- Feeling faint
Salicylic acid may also cause other side effects that are not mentioned here. Contact your doctor if you experience any other troublesome symptoms when using salicylic acid.
References
- UpToDate. Topical salicylic acid: drug information. Available from: https://eresources.library.mssm.edu:3285/contents/topical-salicylic-acid-drug-information?source=preview&search=salicylic%20acid&anchor=F219750#F219750. Cited 29 September, 2024.
- Moy RL, Levenson C, So JJ, and Rock JA. Single-center, open-label study of a proprietary topical 0.5% salicylic acid-based treatment regimen containing sandalwood oil in adolescents and adults with mild to moderate acne. J Drugs Dermatol. 11(12), 1403-8 (2012).
- DailyMed. (2024) Salicylic Acid cream. [online] Available at: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?labeltype=all&query=SALICYLIC+ACID+2.00%25 Cited 29 September, 2024
- Liu H, Yu H, Xia J, Liu L, Liu GJ, Sang H, Peinemann F. Topical azelaic acid, salicylic acid, nicotinamide, sulphur, zinc and fruit acid (alpha-hydroxy acid) for acne. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 5(5), CD011368 (2020).
- Arif T. Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 8, 455-61 (2015).