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Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid Side Effects

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmDAllison Gourley, PharmD
Reviewed by Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD, Allison Gourley, PharmD
Last reviewed on August 25, 2023

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

Salicylic Acid serious side effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.

  • Severe allergic reaction: difficulty breathing, skin rash, swelling
  • Reye's syndrome: diarrhea, vomiting, unusually low energy, loss of consciousness, seizure

Source: DailyMed

The following Salicylic Acid side effects have also been reported

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common or rare

Skin irritation not present before use of this medicine (moderate or severe)

Incidence not known

Difficult breathing

dryness and peeling of skin

fainting

hives or itching

redness of the skin

swelling of the eyes, face, lips, or tongue

tightness in the throat

unusually warm skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Confusion

diarrhea

dizziness

fast or deep breathing

headache (severe or continuing)

hearing loss

lightheadedness

nausea

rapid breathing

ringing or buzzing in the ears (continuing)

severe drowsiness

stomach pain

vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Skin irritation not present before use of this medicine (mild)

stinging

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Why trust our experts?

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist in California. She has been a retail pharmacy manager and staff pharmacist for over 7 years and has contributed drug information content to different health companies.
Allison Gourley, PharmD, is a kidney and pancreas transplant pharmacist at a teaching hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area. When she’s not educating patients about their immunosuppressants, she's actively involved in transplant research.

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