Salicylic Acid and t zone

As a teenager I had minor Acne and blackheads. Some red bumps in the back of my arms and my thighs, blackheads around my forehead and nose and one or two acne bumps around my chin that would go away and come back. Compared to many kids my age, I had great skin. The problem started the day my mother said I should start using beauty products. My aunt recommended Clinque (3 step regime). I was typed with t-zone skin and bought that package. I followed the advice of the counter assistant and after a day, red painful spots appeared in my skin. I went back and they said it was normal and to keep using it. I did and the red spot errupted to full sized cystic acne. I could feel the huge swells deep within my skin. I stopped using it right away, but it was too late. The damage was done. My skin was inflamed and sensitive and the condition of my skin just fed on itself. I went to the dermatologist and they told me to wash with Cetaphil and to be gentle with my skin. That relieved it a bit and over time (a long time) my skin calmed down. But it was too late. I had horrible acne scars and breakouts were more common than they were before I started.

Over the years I tried to find the cause of my break outs. Tried different products (with caution) and realized that a common ingredient (Salicylic Acid) caused my break outs. Well, almost all acne products contain this ingredient so I had to find other ways around Acne. I still have red blotches on my left arm where I tested a bit of a product on it. The inflamation is gone now but i'm left with scars. I still see acne products out there with Salicylic Acid in them. A couple of times when I change Doctor's, they would recommend me over the counter products that have Salicylic Acid in them. As you can tell, I no longer trust doctors advice.

I haven't found one article out there mentioning anyone having my symptoms when using Salicylic Acid.