Glycolic Acid and Skin Care
The Benefits of Using Glycolic Acid in Your Beauty Routine
Glycolic acid is a naturally derived ingredient commonly found in skin care products. Its benefits include anti-aging skin care, exfoliation and acne treatment.
What is Glycolic Acid?
A member of the alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) family, it is the smallest AHA and works not only on the surface of the skin, but also in the layers we cannot see. Glycolic acid has garnered a lot of attention in the beauty industry over the last ten years. While glycolic peels were originally reserved for spa services or dermatologist visits, several companies, such as L'Oréal and Lancôme offer small kits you can use for at-home maintenance. Additional products for home use include glycolic lotions, glycolic cleansers, moisturizers, gels, toners and serums.
Why Glycolic Acid Products Are Good For Your Skin
Glycolic acid does several different things, all of which can be beneficial to the skin. Glycolic acid is a rapid exfoliant. On the surface of the skin, it dissolves the fatty molecules that keep the dead, dry skin cells on the surface of the skin. When it dissolves these molecules, the dead skin cells are washed away, leaving only the new, radiant skin behind. Your skin will feel smooth and soft, and because the dead skin cells have been removed, your other products, like moisturizers, will better penetrate the skin, making them more effective. Skin resurfacing and exfoliation are an important part of proper skin care, which you can read more about here.
Used over time, glycolic acid will start working beneath the skin's surface to produce more advanced results. It can lighten pigmentation caused by sun damage and it will stimulate collagen production. Loss of collagen and sun damage are both signs of aging skin. Increasing the collagen production makes skin more supple, and fine lines and wrinkles less visible. Lightening the sun spots and other skin discoloration makes the skin appears more youthful as well.
Glycolic acid skin care is also excellent for acne-prone skin. Because of its small molecular structure, it is well able to battle acne. Just as the glycolic acid dissolves the dead skin cells, glycolic acid will also work to destroy Propionibacterium, which is the bacterium that causes whiteheads and other acne. People who experience mild to moderate acne will benefit from using glycolic acid products on a semi-regular basis. Those who have moderate to severe acne may find that glycolic peels by a skin care professional, along with regular home maintenance, can control their acne for the long term.
How to Use Glycolic Acid Skin Care
Glycolic acid skin care products come in a variety of formulas. It is important to note that they also come with varying percentages of the glycolic acid itself. When looking for an at-home glycolic acid skin care product, look for a strength of about 7% to 10%. This percentage is effective for everyday use, and less likely to cause irritation to the skin.
The use of glycolic acid in your skin care routine makes your skin more susceptible to damage from the sun. Therefore, using a daily sunscreen is mandatory. Doing without sunscreen while using glycolic acid can cause intense sunburn and damage to the skin. If you are using a glycolic acid peel at home, use it at night, so you will be avoiding the sunlight for more than eight hours. This also gives your skin a chance to recover from the mild redness that may occur.
If you opt for products such as glycolic acid lotion or cream, using the product in the evening is best. Glycolic cleansers can be used morning and night, as they are usually much milder in percentage. While use of a sunscreen is still advisable, the cleanser is not absorbed into the skin like a glycolic acid peel or treatment cream.
Glycolic acid peels in a spa or dermatologist's office are done by licensed and trained estheticians and offer a much higher concentration, usually 20% or more, of glycolic acid. Therefore, the results are more dramatic and you may experience some mild side effects such as light flaking of the skin and minor redness. These tend to disappear within 24 hours and are easily covered with normal makeup.
