How Glycolic Acid Is Used in Skincare

Glycolic acid is a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) made from cane sugar. It is one of the most widely used AHAs in skin care products.

AHAs are natural acids that come from plants. They are composed of small molecules that are easily absorbed by your skin. This makes them ideal for smoothing wrinkles, improving skin texture, and other anti-aging uses.

This article will take a closer look at what glycolic acid is and how it can help your skin. It also includes tips on how to choose the right product for you and how to use it safely.

How glycolic acid works

Glycolic acid has the smallest molecules of all AHAs. This allows the glycolic acid to absorb into the skin and exfoliate even better than other AHAs.

Glycolic acid works by speeding up cell turnover. In other words, it dissolves the bonds that hold skin cells together. As a result, your skin is able to shed dead skin cells faster than it can on its own.

Glycolic acid triggers your skin to make more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes the skin firm, plump and elastic. It also gives your bones and connective tissues their strength.

Your skin makes less collagen as you age. Collagen is also destroyed when you overexposure to the sun. Taking glycolic acid every day can help prevent collagen breakdown.

What does it do for your skin?

Glycolic acid is a very popular treatment for many reasons, including:

• Against aging: It smooths out small wrinkles and improves skin tone and texture.
• Hydration: It plumps the skin and prevents it from drying out.
• Sun damage: It fades dark patches caused by sun damage and protects collagen from the sun.
• Complexion: It brightens the skin with regular use.
• Exfoliate dead skin: It prevents ingrown hairs and makes pores smaller by helping the skin get rid of dead skin cells.
• Acne: It clears the pores to prevent breakouts, blackheads, and inflammatory acne.

Although many sources claim glycolic acid helps remove scars, this is something it simply cannot do. Glycolic acid can lighten dark patches left by acne or other wounds. It can also fade keloids and pitted scars, but it won’t make them go away.

A better scar treatment is professional strength glycolic acid or a different scar treatment altogether.

Where you can find it

If you are looking for glycolic acid, you have a lot of choices. This skin care product can be found in many over-the-counter (OTC) products.

Try going to your local drug store, market, or skin spa. You’ll find plenty of cleansers, masks, toners, and moisturizers that contain glycolic acid. Over-the-counter glycolic acid products tend to be as strong as 10%.

For more powerful treatments, glycolic acid is also found in chemical peels. Up to 30% mild glycolic acid peels can be performed by an esthetician at a salon or spa. Up to 70% more intense peels can be performed in the dermatology clinic.

Although glycolic acid is made from cane sugar, the type of sugar you buy at the store isn’t exactly the same. Rubbing your face with sugar can exfoliate and make your skin smoother. But it won’t give you the same results as a glycolic acid treatment.

Choose the right skin treatment

The glycolic acid treatment you choose depends a lot on your skin type and what your end goals are. Over-the-counter products with glycolic acid may be enough to give you brighter and healthier skin. They may also be enough to prevent breakouts and reduce wrinkles without the need for a professional peel.

Professional peels are a good option if you want to treat a specific skin problem. For example, a professional peel can help combat sun damage, dark spots, acne, or deeper wrinkles. They will quickly give you bigger results. But because these peels contain a higher percentage of glycolic acid, they pose a higher risk of irritation.

When choosing any glycolic acid treatment, the percentage of glycolic acid it contains is just one factor to think about. The pH of the product is something else. The more acidic the product, the stronger and more effective it will be on your skin regardless of how much glycolic acid it contains.

It is known that most skin care products only list the percentage of glycolic acid used. They are not required to list the pH, which makes comparing products a bit harder.

How to Use Glycolic Acid Safely

In general, glycolic acid is very safe for your skin and works well. However, to keep your skin safe, there are a few things to know before using glycolic acid.

First and foremost, you must apply sunscreen whenever you are using a glycolic acid treatment. Like all AHAs, glycolic acid can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. You don’t want to lose the effects of glycolic acid, and you don’t want to get sunburned.

Allow your skin to get used to the glycolic acid. If you’re using an OTC product, start by applying just three times per week for a week or so. If your skin isn’t red or irritated, try using it four times a week for a week or two.

Continue to build slowly this way until you can use it daily. If at any point your skin becomes irritated, give it a rest before trying again.

For in-office or salon peels, you’ll likely start with a lower amount of glycolic acid. If your skin tolerates that well, you will most likely be upgraded to a higher strength for the next peel.

Your skin may be a little rough after the first few treatments. This is normal and just means that the glycolic acid is working. Unless your skin is irritated, continue using a glycolic acid product. You should start slowly to see smoother and healthier skin.

Most importantly, if you are under the care of a dermatologist, make sure you get their consent before using any glycolic acid products or performing peels.

Summary

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that comes from cane sugar. As it absorbs into the skin, it promotes cell turnover. This makes glycolic acid an excellent exfoliant, resulting in healthier and brighter skin.

Glycolic acid is a common ingredient in many OTC and professional skin care products, especially anti-aging products. It also supports collagen production, protects the skin from sun damage, and prevents clogged pores.

If you need any help choosing a glycolic acid product, a dermatologist can help you do it.

A very good word

Over-the-counter glycolic acid products and professional peels have been around for a long time. They have a safety track record and are known to work wonders for the skin. Most skin types can use them without much difficulty.

If you have very sensitive skin, you may want to use products containing glycolic acid that rinse off like cleansers. These methods are less likely to bother your skin than glycolic acid treatments. They also allow your skin to build tolerance in a way that doesn’t bother your skin.