Does Salicylic Acid Make Acne Worse Before It Gets Better?
We all strive to have clear, even skin, but achieving this often requires a long process of trial and error.
Finding the right combination of products that work for your skin type addresses your specific needs.
And having ingredients that work well with one another takes time, and not everyone has the money to drop on frequent dermatologist appointments.
Addressing acne-prone skin specifically comes with its own set of needs and specific ingredients that work quickly and effectively to combat the issue.
Salicylic acid is a popular ingredient for targeting acne and is known to provide proven results, including reduced breakouts and clearer skin.
However, as with any treatment intended to purge, the skin to which it is applied can sometimes be more prone to breakouts initially.
So, does salicylic acid make acne worse before it gets better?
Oftentimes, the skin begins to purge itself due to deep cleansing from salicylic acid. Through intense exfoliation that rids the skin of excess oil and dead skin cells, introducing a new salicylic acid product into your routine may trigger new spots to appear.
While it is common for skin purging to happen with salicylic acid in particular, it does not mean it will always happen or that everyone will experience it.
If you do, once the initial purge is over, you will be left with smooth, clear skin.
What Is Salicylic Acid?
Salicylic acid is an ingredient often used to treat acne breakouts due to its exfoliating properties.
It is an ingredient that is derived from willow bark. Salicylic acid is a type of beta-hydroxy acid that works to cleanse the skin and unclog deeply blocked pores.
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are essential in the skincare world due to their oil-soluble nature.
They are the counterpart to alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which work to topically even out the texture and appearance of the skin.
BHAs can penetrate deeper layers of the skin, purging from the inside out, which is why salicylic acid is an ideal ingredient for acne-prone skin.
Types Of Products That Use Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid can be used as both an over-the-counter treatment (such as this exfoliant from Paula’s Choice) and prescribed in medical doses.
The amount of salicylic acid present in a product determines whether it is an over-the-counter item or requires a prescription.
Most often, high levels of salicylic acid are found in certain chemical peels and treatments performed by trained professionals.
Lower levels of salicylic acid are found in over-the-counter products, such as cleansers and exfoliators, for use as an all-over treatment.
If you want to target a specific area, spot treatment gels are also products that are formulated with salicylic acid.
Most cleansers, exfoliators, and other topical treatments available in stores contain anywhere between 0.5% and 2% salicylic acid.
How Does Salicylic Acid Treat Acne?
Because salicylic acid is a type of BHA, it can absorb and penetrate deeply into the skin, initiating the purging process.
Salicylic acid breaks down the bonds formed between dead skin cells, which is often the cause of clogged pores.
Once those bonded dead skin cells are broken down, they can be released or passed through the pores more easily.
Salicylic acid products are used to treat acne-prone skin that struggles with pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads, which are often caused by blocked or clogged pores.
Specifically, blackheads are created by trapped dead skin cell bonds that are “stuck” in open or enlarged pores.
Whiteheads are caused by the same dead skin cell bonds, but are trapped under the surface in a closed pore.
Salicylic acid also works to break down the oil production of the skin, so you will often see less oil produced while using salicylic acid products, which can result in fewer breakouts.
However, based on your skin type, using it too frequently or in excess can cause skin dryness.
Does Salicylic Acid Bring Pimples To The Surface?
When using a salicylic acid-based product, a type of chemical exfoliant, you may notice that your skin begins to experience some purging, which can lead to more breakouts or pimples.
Essentially, the product is encouraging the cell turnover process, which your skin is reacting to.
Salicylic acid is an ingredient that is known to cause skin purging, along with other acids and retinoid products.
Through the breakdown of dead skin cells and the exfoliation of the top layer of skin, blockages that cause clogged pores are more easily able to pass through.
And the cell turnover rate is accelerated.
Your skin is responding to the increased cell turnover, which is when you might see pimples or other acne-related signs appear on your skin.
Typically, if you are experiencing a skin purge, the acne spots that appear are most likely existing breakouts that were already below the surface.
With the cell turnover process being accelerated, breakouts will appear on the surface more quickly than they would normally.
A skin purge does not create new breakouts; instead, it brings the ones that were going to show up in a few weeks to the surface early.
Although salicylic acid is one of the ingredients known to cause skin purging-related breakouts, it does not occur in everyone, nor does it happen all the time.
How your skin responds individually to the ingredient, along with your unique skin type, will determine if you experience purging when introducing the new product to your routine.
The Difference Between A Purge And A Breakout
While new acne spots can occur when introducing a new product to your routine, it can also be confused with an actual breakout.
Skin purging occurs when you initially introduce a product into your routine, but give it a few weeks to determine if it is working correctly for you and producing the desired results.
Skin purges and breakouts differ primarily in their timing and duration.
While a breakout can co-occur with the introduction of a new product, as mentioned above, skin purging typically occurs when the skin is adjusting to a new ingredient.
Acne spots resulting from a skin purge will last a shorter amount of time than a regular breakout, due to the increased cell turnover process, while standard breakouts can linger longer.
Along with a shorter duration, skin purge-related breakouts will typically occur in areas where you already have existing breakouts.
Because the breakout is generally developing under the surface, the salicylic acid is encouraging the breakout to appear sooner.
If you are finding that acne spots are occurring in newer areas, it will most likely be a regular breakout.
For skin purging breakouts, it is best to avoid irritating them and allow them to run their course on the skin.
As with any breakout, avoid picking at or trying to pop the pimples.
While skin purging breakouts typically do not last as long as regular breakouts, they can persist for up to three weeks.
If you are experiencing regular breakouts and they persist after the initial “purge period” has passed,
it is best to discontinue use of the product causing the breakout and stick to what you know works best for your skin.
As with any breakout, it’s essential to maintain your skin’s moisture and keep it hydrated.
Although breakouts related to skin purging can be irritating, they indicate that the product is working for your skin and that your skin is responding correctly to it.
You are hopefully on your way to blemish-free skin.
When Will You See Results?
Depending on the type of product you are using and your individual concerns, the results can vary.
If you apply an acne spot treatment gel to a specific breakout before bed, you can expect to see a diminished or dried-out breakout in the morning.
If you are using an all-over facial cleanser a few times a week, or even daily, you can begin to see results by the end of the week or sooner.
If you aren’t noticing results, or if you are experiencing breakouts that are not related to a skin purge,
it’s possible that salicylic acid may not be the ideal ingredient for treating acne on your skin type.
It’s also possible that it isn’t working correctly with other products in your skincare routine and would work best when paired with specific ingredients.
So, if you’re ready to see results but unsure about applying salicylic acid to your face correctly, here’s an excellent tutorial from Melissa Van Dijk on YouTube.
Conclusion
Overall, while skin purging can happen when switching to a salicylic acid product, it should not deter you from trying items formulated with it to target and treat acne-prone areas.
If you struggle to rid your skin of blackheads, whiteheads, or other pimples, finding the correct type of salicylic acid product may be what is missing from your skincare routine.
From cleansers to spot treatments, a wide array of salicylic acid-based products is waiting to be incorporated into your routine.
