Glycolic Acid – Your Solution to All Skin Problems

January 31, 2020
Julia Ritzenthaler
Skin
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Your Glycolic Acid Tutorial

Over the past decade, beauty products and their ingredients have fallen under heavier and heavier scrutiny. As more are determined to be potentially harmful, the truly beneficial ingredients have become shining stars, and glycolic acid is among the very top. As one of the AHAs or Alpha Hydroxy Acids, it wins raves far and wide.

Why? What is glycolic acid and what’s so great about it? There are a lot of reasons that beauty experts advocate for its use, including:

It is an all-natural compound
It brings multiple benefits to different users, including moisturizing and rejuvenation
It has no scent or color
It is a natural exfoliant for its ability to gently soften and remove the outermost layers of dead skin cells.
It brightens and refreshes the skin
It is gentle and yet also effective, capable of being used on a daily basis
It can address issues as diverse as signs of aging, scarring, dull skin, pigmentation issues, and more
It is great for absorbing water into the skin tissue and cells, making it ideal for moisturizing
It cues collagen production, plumping the skin

Can anyone use it? To answer that, let’s first consider how glycolic acids, and the AHAs in general, work to improve skin and address skin issues.

Meet the AHAs

Alpha Hydroxy Acids exist in citrus fruits, sugar cane (as is the case with glycolic acid), milk, tomato juice, apples, grapes and other foods. They are put to use by addressing acne, wrinkles, and dry skin. The acids do this by eliminating the “layers of dead skin cells. They can also increase the thickness of deeper layers of skin, promoting firmness.”

Glycolic acid is the safest and most effective of all AHAs. It works so effectively because its molecular size is much smaller than any other AHAs’. It penetrates into the skin easily and offers its benefits from beneath the uppermost layers. That is why it is used to address such problematic issues as acne, which often requires oral medications and strong topicals to be addressed. Once used on acne prone skin, it can eliminate the severity and frequency of blackheads and breakouts, but it will also reduce oil production.

Glycolic acid is also used to deal with the damages done to the skin by the aging process. It penetrates below the surface and while brightening the complexion, it also causes fine lines, crow’s feet and even wrinkles to plump up with more collagen production. When used in combination with other anti-aging remedies it can create remarkable results. The collagen production means that the skin also becomes firmer and more elastic, restoring a youthful appearance.

Skin Brightening?

We just mentioned skin brightening, and this too is one of glycolic acid’s benefits. It works as a strong exfoliator. As one expert noted, “Glycolic acid is known to weaken the intercellular adhesions, which means it removes dead skin cells from the skin’s epidermal surface and reduces dry patches and flakiness.”

It is, technically, an abrasive to the skin but does not cause the irritation and damage that actual, manual exfoliation treatments can create. It is put to use as a toner and a scrub or exfoliant because of this, and will leave the complexion brighter and healthier.

For those with ingrown hair issues, the application of glycolic acid means that the outermost layers of the skin are softened, allowing the hair to breach the surface and pass through. Instead of allowing keratin to build around the follicles, the glycolic acid softens, exfoliates and controls the issue.

Its molecular size also ensures that it can pass through the driest and flakiest skin and add a tremendous amount of moisture. This is why it will appear as an active ingredient in foot or elbow treatments as often as it does hand or face moisturizers.

Can Glycolic Acid Shrink Pores?

Lastly, the ability for glycolic acid to pass into the pores and skin cells easily makes it great for clearing out those pores and eliminating buildup. The result is that pores will often shrink or close, trapping moisture within while plumping and firming the skin.

Another expert noted that an “advantage of glycolic acid is that it does more than treat breakouts. The ingredient can also tackle hyperpigmentation, dullness, and signs of skin aging,” making it an ideal ingredient for almost all skin types. They also went on to note that it penetrates deeper than other compounds, and “stimulates fibroblasts in the dermis to produce increased amounts of collagen…And by stimulating collagen production, it helps skin feel firmer and minimizes fine lines and wrinkles. Between the superficial action on your stratum corneum and the work it does below… skin will feel smoother and look more radiant and even-toned.”

Clearly, glycolic acid is loaded with benefits and that is why it is at the top of the list of popular skincare ingredients. That begs one big question: Who should use it?

Is Glycolic Acid for You?

One skin care professional has said that glycolic acid is best for “normal, combination, and oily skin types,” and that means that those with “dry, highly sensitive skin often react to it with irritation,” regardless of factors like the dilution or percentage of it in a formula.

If you are in the former grouping, you can easily and safely add glycolic acid to your beauty routine as an exfoliant or in your regular facial wash. In fact, experts point out that using it as part of the cleansing process is a good “first step” towards introducing more powerful formulations as peels or exfoliants.

Most experts agree that it works best in the following ways:

As an overnight cream that renews while you sleep. This is best if it is at a 10% formula as it is highly effective and still tolerable at this level. Since you will be in a dark bedroom and asleep, it is less likely to irritate and is a preferred option to retinol.
As a daily cleanser. As noted, it can be used on its own as an introduction or you can use it and continue cleansing daily with it when you begin using a night time treatment or other option. An 8% or less glycolic acid formula is best.
As an effective chemical exfoliant. Use a 10% solution for optimal outcomes with this treatment. You may want to look for combination products that combine moisturizing alongside the exfoliation process as it ensures that the skin is not dried out while the dead skin cells are pulled away.
As a gentle peel. Skin peels are not for everyone, and many who have had them done admit that it was painful and irritating because the potency of the formula was too high. Glycolic acid peels never run such risks and will gently improve the skin’s tone, repair sun damage or scarring, and address issues like pigmentation or fine lines and wrinkles without the risks of other peels.
As a way to address acne and pimples. At a 7% solution, a glycolic acid acne treatment will be able to eliminate the thin layer of skin that keeps a pimple or pustule from dissolving. It will also dissolve the clogs in the pores and tighten them to prevent future acne breakouts and acne scars.
As an intense moisturizer – Lots of moisturizers are being designed with glycolic acid in the formulation. This is because it can operate as a carrier delivering moisture into the skin, trapping it there, and simultaneously targeting dead skin cells on all parts of the body.
As a way to soften callouses – Whether they are on the elbows, feet or knees, no one likes the coarse texture of callouses. Fortunately, regular use of glycolic acid treatments can help to soften and eventually smooth the skin that has been hardened by use or wear and tear.

Know Your Skin Type

Skin care experts at VeryWell Health also say that you need to dedicate some time and thought to choosing the right option for your skin. It starts with skin type and then the goals. For example, they say that someone eager for “brighter, healthier-looking skin (or a reduction in breakouts and fine lines),” can turn to an OTC product with a lower percentage formula. They go on to explain that it is by using “low concentrations of glycolic acid over long periods of time [that] creates a cumulative effect; your skin will look better the longer you use it.”

If the skin has noticeable damages, however, it could be that the use of a higher concentration in a peel may be necessary. There are OTC options, but there are also skincare professionals capable of offering more powerful glycolic acid peels. They will address “specific skin issues like noticeable sun damage, dark spots or acne marks, and deeper lines and wrinkles,” and also deliver noticeable improvements (generally) quite quickly.

Percentages and pH

We have spoken only briefly about percentages of glycolic acid solutions, and while this is a key factor in selecting the right products for your needs, knowing about pH is important too. There is not a lot to know about solution percentages and pH. As those same experts explained, “A more acidic product will deliver a stronger and more effective treatment than a less acidic product, regardless of the percentage of glycolic acid. So, a product containing a low percentage of glycolic acid but with a lower (i.e. more acidic) pH will be more effective than a high percentage but low acidity product.”

You need to understand THAT because very few skincare products tell about the pH level, and leave their information limited exclusively to the formula percentage of glycolic acid.

As another expert wrote, “an acid product is only as potent as the free-acid compounds floating around inside it. Too many acid bits and your skin stings and gets red; too few and nothing happens (we mean nada—no exfoliation, no glow). So, chemists play with the pH, which adjusts the amount of free acids. The ideal pH is between 3 and 4…” As noted, it is rare to see anything about the pH. That means a bit of product testing is usually required. Most say that products should tingle when applied, but it should diminish after a few seconds. If you feel nothing or if the tingling is more like a burning, it may not be pH balanced effectively

Related: Your Guide to Hyaluronic Acid

Can You Mix Skin Care Products?

It is also incredibly important to remember that you cannot mix skin care products freely without first understanding if there are compounds that should not be layered. As the skincare experts at the klog website said: “Yes, you can over exfoliate! Retinol (AKA vitamin A) is a superstar anti-aging ingredient. ducts containing retinol…are known to speed up cell turnover … You might think retinol and acidic ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids might work well together … At their core, retinol and chemical exfoliants do just that: exfoliate the skin. Using two exfoliants together? No go. This can lead to redness, irritation, sensitivity, and even dryness and flaking.”

Also, never blend or layer vitamin C and glycolic acid because this puts you at risk for eliminating the effectiveness of the vitamin C (typically anti-aging) product. As the same experts explained, “Products with vitamin C are formulated to be as low as 3 on the scale, which ensures they’re effective. So using them with acidic ingredients like glycolic or salicylic acid can alter its pH, which can reduce the effectiveness of your vitamin C.”

Lastly, be aware that mixing acne remedies with chemical exfoliants is potentially disastrous because over exfoliation can occur quickly and painfully. Skin will become red, flaky and inflamed. Instead, alternate use from one day to the next. In other words, exfoliate one day and then use the acne remedy the next.

Related: CBD Oil Skincare Benefits

In Conclusion

The idea of applying acne directly to the skin often throws many and makes them wonder whether it is wise or ill-advised. It is wise to use glycolic acid on almost any skin issue, just be sure you use the common sense suggestions above, and always apply sunscreen because glycolic acid can leave the skin more prone to sunburn. Found in all kinds of products, including “cleansers, serums, moisturizers, eye creams, and facial peels,” it is safe at up to 10% solution and will become a new favorite in your beauty routine.

More Great Glycolic Acid Resources:

Your Guide to Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and How They Work

The Skin Care Ingredients You Shouldn’t Mix

#SkinSchool: Exfoliating acids explained

Glycolic Acid – Your Solution to All Skin Problems

Your Glycolic Acid Tutorial