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Mar 31, 2022

Why I hate salicylic acid

Let me tell you why I hate salicylic acid

I hate salicylic acid only because it’s overhyped for acne.

In my real life I actually love salicylic acid in moderation now that my skin is healthy

But me, as a sensitive acne prone skin type,

Someone who suffered with cystic acne breakouts for years,

Someone who used the wrong products on my face, perpetuating my own breakouts for years,

I have a personal problem with salicylic acid and how the industry shoves it down our throat as a treatment for any and all types of acne

This is so clearly not the case

After getting my estheticians license in 2016,

I learned a lot more about skin, our anatomy, skin types, and all the factors that go into how skin works and how it different ingredients work on the skin

After experiencing what I experienced and learning what I’ve learned

And now observing people making the same mistakes over and over I blame the industry, I blame marketing,

Why else would we think it’s a good idea to continue to use salicylic acid all over the face for cystic acne?

Only because we’ve been told for decades that acne is one dimensional and therefore theres one cure

If our breakouts continue, theres something wrong with us

If acne products dont work lets put you on antibiotics, medicated serums, accutane

Im not saying these are bad, some of these are good solutions!

But it just shouldn't be our only damn solution!!

How completely illogical would that be?

But thats what it feels like sometimes, like there are no good solutions.

Its true that salicylic acid exfoliates inside the pores

And it’s true that acne is an infection of the oil glands

And pores have oil glands

Its true salicylic acid can help to get rid of the infection of the oil gland when on the surface of the skin

But were not talking about acne on the surface of the skin,

Were talking about UNDER the surface breakouts

And even though salicylic acid can help treat white headed pustules,

Does not mean its a great idea to spread all over your face on skin that has no acne

Let’s say you have five pimples on your face,

why would you use a gosh darn product all over your face, the rest of which that has no pimple?

Salicylic acid is very strong and using it on unnecessary areas will irritate and also strip the skin barrier

Especially bad on skin that is already quite sensitive given the fact you are experiencing chronic breakouts

While you have adult acne, you have sensitive skin, NOT "oily/acneic" skin

See where I’m going with this?

See why I’m frustrated with salicylic acid and tea tree oil and the like?

So what do I recommend instead for adult acne?

A sensitive skin care routine

No medicated products

Only medicated spot treatments, if you're called

Never using them obsessively

Because when we obsess we cause more breakouts

Obsessing indicates attachment

Attachment to anything it’s going to create a barrier for you to get over that thing

Keep the skin care simple and see if you still get breakouts

If you get breakouts, are you living a healthy life?

If you’re living a healthy life, examine all layers of health:

Mental, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual.

Look at the holistic health model, everything is affected by everything

If youre emotionally affected by it, then you can logically conclude health on another level needs to be addressed.

Why would you stop at the physical? If you want a solution you definitely shouldn’t

Don’t you have the instinct that something is off? Follow that instinct

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