Keeping acne at bay and avoiding a major last-minute flare-up as much as possible can be one of the most frustrating struggles you face on a daily basis — worse even than unknowingly strutting around with lipstick on your front teeth all day. Chances are, you’re stuck with a strict dairy-free diet and your skincare routine is chock-full of glycolic peels and salicylic acid spot treatments that help to keep spots in check. Now imagine you weren’t able to use any of your go-to products for fear of inducing burning, peeling, or redness. How could you expect to keep your skin in the clear?
Believe it or not, the uncomfortable sensations and unwanted redness you notice after exposing your skin to salicylic acid could actually be symptoms of a full-on allergy attack. But don’t dial 911 just yet. Though it’s fairly uncommon, an allergy to salicylic acid closely mimics the effects of swiping on a product with too high a dose of the acid for your skin. “It can be very difficult to determine the difference between a true salicylic acid allergy and an irritation from a larger dose than your skin can handle,” notes Joshua Zeichner, MD and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. The strongest over-the-counter concentrations of salicylic acid cap at 2% — think targeted spot treatments, not your daily cleansers, toners, or oil-free moisturizers. If you’re upping your daily dose of sal acid or even using it for the first time, you may notice redness, or dry flakes around the area of application. “When you apply a higher dosage than skin is used to, salicylic acid disrupts your skin’s barrier, creating microscopic cracks that cause skin to lose moisture and become irritated and inflamed — hence the red, itchy, flakiness that’s so often associated with acne treatments,” Dr. Zeichner adds. To protect skin’s internal H2O supply, he suggests doubling up on hydration, and moisturizing right before applying any kind of drying acne treatment. This goes for the oil-prone, too. “Most people with oilier skin like the idea of drying it out, but oil production and hydration are two separate issue — one doesn’t affect the other,” Dr. Zeichner says.
As for an allergic reaction, the degree of irritation is much higher — the areas that you apply any kind of sal acid treatment (no matter the concentration level) become painful, swollen, and tend to flush bright red, says Ted Lain, MD and founder of ATX Dermatology. Before starting on a sal acid-packed regimen and slathering it all over your face, Dr. Lain recommends testing a product out on a small patch of skin on your forearm and gauging its effect. If you don’t notice any irritation, you’re in the clear.
(Disclaimer: More severe allergies to salicylic acid can result in throat tightness, wheezing, low blood pressure, and even fainting. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.)
Related: These Are All The Ingredients You Need to Know to Banish Acne
