Salicylic Acid for Hair: Benefits and How to Use (2025)

Salicylic acid might just be the true one-stop-shop powerhouse of skincare—and when I say skin, I mean all of your skin. From head to toe, salicylic acid has proven to be adept at clearing dead skin cells and other pore-clogging impurities, whether on your face, body, or even your scalp.

While salicylic acid’s benefits for the face and body are widely reported, there’s less talk about how great the ingredient is for the scalp. So we tapped board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, and trichologist Kari Williams, Ph.D., to give us the low-down. Keep reading for everything you need to know about salicylic acid for your hair (well, scalp).

What Is Salicylic Acid?

Salicylic acid is a type of chemical exfoliant called beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that helps remove excess oil and dead cells from the surface of the skin. BHAs are oil-soluble, which means they cut through any surface oil and exfoliate deep within the pores, says Dr. Zeichner. For this reason, salicylic acid is a go-to choice for fighting acne and excess oil on the skin.

And since there’s skin on the scalp... I think you can see what I’m getting at here, which is that salicylic acid is also a great option for the scalp—especially for those of us prone to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, product buildup, and excess oil. Studies even show that applying salicylic acid to the scalp can help reduce scalp psoriasis.

Benefits of Salicylic Acid for Hair

Salicylic acid does a whole lot more than just fighting acne (though it is quite good at fighting scalp acne). When used on the scalp, it has a host of benefits:

• Improves dandruff management: Salicylic acid effectively removes scaly, hyperkeratotic skin by breaking down cell-to-cell adhesion.
• Minimizes scalp irritation and itching: Uncomfortable, itchy hair can be made even worse by excessive dead skin buildup on the scalp. Salicylic acid loosens that dead, irritated skin and makes it easier to wash away in the shower.
• Soothes seborrheic dermatitis: Salicylic acid is incredibly effective at soothing seborrheic dermatitis, which is fancy talk for having a flaky, oily scalp. By both eliminating oil buildup and breaking down scaly, dead skin, salicylic acid seemingly banishes the issue altogether.
• Eliminates oil and product buildup: Many of us are guilty of stretching out a great hairdo one day too many with heaps of dry shampoo. Luckily, salicylic acid naturally strips away the outermost layer of the epidermis, allowing oil, dead skin, and product buildup to wash right off.

And, to this point, a note about scalp issues: They’re totally normal. Thanks to the abundance of hair usually found on the scalp, it’s pretty much an ideal environment for developing build-up of any kind—whether it be from oil, bacteria, dead skin cells, products, or a gross mix of all four. Beyond the conditions of the scalp itself, tons of outside factors can add to scalp issues, including stress, the weather, poor diet, and infrequent hair washing. Long story short, most people have some sort of scalp issue, whether they realize it or not. And as a result, most people can benefit from a salicylic acid-based scalp treatment.

Does Salicylic Acid Prevent Hair Loss?

While there isn’t a direct link between salicylic acid and reduction in hair loss, many believe it can potentially help. Salicylic acid is especially keen at removing excess sebum, a waxy, oily substance that can contain dihydrotestosterone (DHT). And DHT happens to be a key hormone responsible for hair loss in men. There isn’t any conclusive evidence that the DHT found specifically in scalp sebum contributes to male pattern baldness, but there is evidence that the condition of the scalp impacts hair growth and retention. And since salicylic acid helps keep the scalp healthy and clean, well, you can see why people have put two and two together.

Even if you’re not prone to any of these issues (which, side note, good for you), the ingredient is still beneficial, ensuring that any nasty buildup in the hair breaks down and washes out.

Scalp Type Considerations

Sensitive Scalps

While most people can benefit from a little salicylic acid on the scalp, there are a few exceptions. As is the case with sensitive skin, sensitive scalps could potentially have a bad reaction to salicylic acid, such as irritation or a stinging sensation. Likewise, doctors suggest that those with any broken, irritated, or compromised skin on the scalp avoid salicylic acid treatments—and definitely don’t use it on any open cuts and wounds.

Dry Scalps

Trichologists also suggest that those with exceedingly dry scalps and hair proceed with caution when it comes to salicylic acid, as they might find the ingredient to be drying to the hair shaft or scalp. In that case, consider fitting it into your routine a couple of times a month (rather than weekly), and be sure to combine it with moisturizing ingredients and other hydrating products to minimize any drying out.

All this being said, there is potential to sensitize and dry out even the oiliest of scalps. Frequency is key here—in other words, do not use a salicylic acid-based shampoo every day. As someone who has struggled with an oily scalp since puberty, I totally get the appeal. But you can over-exfoliate your scalp, just like you can over-exfoliate your face, leading to even more oil production, among other issues. Trust me, it's not pretty. For my fellow excessively oily people, stick to your sal acid regimen every few washes or so.

How to Use Salicylic Acid for Hair

Just like in any facial skincare regimen, there's a wide range of formulas and application methods one can use when it comes to scalp care. It really just depends on preference and needs.

For scalp disorders like seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, Dr. Williams suggests looking into medicated shampoos and topical serums. For the rest of us, there are a handful of options that will suit our needs. Scalp shampoos are a fairly easy starting point since they don’t require any extra work outside of the usual wash-and-go. Just switch out your go-to shampoo with a salicylic acid-based option one to three times a week (the number will vary depending on your scalp issues and how often you wash your hair).

If you’re looking for a deeper cleanse, try a scalp scrub. While I steer clear of physical exfoliation on my face, I love a good gritty scrub for sloughing off the dead skin from the neck down. Luckily, scalp scrubs are formulated especially for use on the head, so they tend to have a finer texture.

Finally, scalp serums, pre-cleanses, and treatments are ideal for targeting specific issues and boosting scalp health.So, in the same way you would look for a facial serum that's brightening, smoothing, glow-boosting, etc., you would look for a serum or treatment that addresses a certain concern(s).

The Best Hair Products With Salicylic Acid

Below, you’ll find our favorite salicylic acid-based shampoos, scrubs, serums, pre-cleanses, and treatments.

Act+Acre Cold Pressed Scalp Renew

This pre-shampoo scalp treatment contains 0.15% salicylic acid to chemically exfoliate the scalp, removing dead skin cells, dandruff, and excess oils. The pointed nozzle applicator makes for easy delivery directly to the scalp. Just apply this treatment ahead of your shower and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse before you apply shampoo. You'll also notice a cooling sensation thanks to peppermint oil.

Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo

Healthy hair starts at the root, which is why the experts at Sachajuan created a two-step routine focused on scalp care (yes, you read that right, there’s a matching Conditioner). Both products calm irritation, reduce dandruff, and help you maintain a healthy moisture balance.

Virtue Clarifying & Exfoliating Scalp Treatment

With a whipped cream texture, this treatment detoxifies follicle buildup while conditioning and balancing the scalp. Swap out your conditioner and use this one post-shampoo up to twice weekly for optimal results.

Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo

This no-frills shampoo contains salicylic acid to address dandruff, scalp psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis.