Last Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have announced that some over-the-counter acne treatments can cause severe irritation or allergic reactions Some acne skin treatments contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid . Some products may cause dryness of the skin but can escalate to itching burning and peeling in some cases. To find out if an over-the-counter topical acne product contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, consumers can check the “active ingredients” section of the drug facts label on the product’s package, the FDA said. Between 1969 and the end of January 2013, the FDA received 131 reports of serious allergic reactions to these types of acne products in people ages 11 to 78. About 42 percent of the reactions occurred within minutes to 24 hours of use, the agency said. It has been suggested that if you are using any of these products for the 1st time you should put a small amount onto the affected area for three days. If no problems occur, they can follow the label directions for normal use. Please, if you begin to suffer from throat tightness, breathing problems, swelling of the eyes, face lips or tongue stop using the product. Also stop using a product if you develop hives or itching of the face or body. Dr. Jennifer Stein, an assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City, stressed that these incidents are rare. “Although it’s relatively common to have a reaction to a topical acne medication, a severe and possibly deadly reaction is very rare,” she said. “The FDA analysis showing only 131 serious allergic reactions over the past 44 years of dermatologic practice demonstrates how rare it is. This is all the more compelling given the common use of over-the-counter acne medication.” *Taken from http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/news/20140625/some-acne-products-can-trigger-severe-allergic-reactions-fda