With at-home merchandise, sticking to a focus of 10% or decrease may also help stop irritation, in response to all of the dermatologists we consulted. Principally, you wish to clear your pores (extra on that beneath) with out stripping your pores and skin to the purpose the place it’s uncooked and infected.
Clearer pores and fewer zits.
As a result of it’s so efficient at sloughing off the highest layer of pores and skin, glycolic acid will also be helpful for banishing blemishes. “Chemical exfoliation may also help folks with zits by clearing useless pores and skin cells and pore-clogging particles,” Dr. Marcus says.5
For anybody who’s each breakout-prone and tremendous delicate, although, glycolic acid could also be too harsh, she notes. Giving your pores and skin breaks between therapies and solely making use of the exfoliant two or (max) thrice per week may also help reduce irritation, she provides (begin with as soon as per week and see for those who can work your manner as much as two or three therapies with out challenge).
But when your face nonetheless isn’t completely satisfied, salicylic acid may be a greater exfoliating zits therapy for you, Dr. Marcus says. As we talked about above, it will probably penetrate deeper into pores to unclog them, and it’s additionally been proven to be much less irritating than glycolic acid.1
Fewer darkish spots from solar harm.
The solar’s UV rays may cause hyperpigmentation (or darkish spots). As glycolic acid helps slough off the highest layer of useless cells, it will probably additionally take away a few of that extra pigment (or melanin) within the course of, Loretta Ciraldo, MD, board-certified dermatologist and voluntary assistant professor within the dermatology division on the College of Miami Miller College of Medication, tells SELF.3
In some instances, nonetheless, it will probably have the other impact. Particularly for those who’re liable to hyperpigmentation (a standard challenge for folks with medium to darkish brown pores and skin tones, for instance, because the physique already makes additional melanin, which might result in darkish spots), glycolic acid might make the problem worse. Analysis means that, in excessive concentrations, it will probably result in irritation, and that harm might set off hyperpigmentation.6 2
You don’t essentially need to skip glycolic acid simply since you are likely to get darkish spots, however to be secure and reduce irritation, you need to persist with low concentrations (assume 5 to 10%), in response to Dr. Ciraldo. And once more, utilizing it only one or two instances per week may preserve pores and skin calmer, Dr. Marcus provides.
Thicker, plumper-looking pores and skin.
Whereas glycolic acid will get busy eradicating outdated pores and skin cells, it additionally promotes the manufacturing of latest ones. Consequently, “it will probably thicken the pores and skin, stimulate collagen manufacturing, and enhance tone and texture,” Dr. King explains.3 “Research have proven, for instance, that utilizing a topical glycolic acid cream for six months stimulated a 27% improve in epidermal thickness.”7
Basically, when glycolic acid strips away the highest layer of useless cells, new, wholesome ones swoop in to switch them. And thicker, collagen-filled pores and skin may also help provide you with that just-got-a-facial smoothness and plumpness.3
What elements are secure to mix with glycolic acid?
You may not wish to mix glycolic acid with different AHAs and BHAS, like salicylic acid, as a result of collectively they are often too robust and trigger irritation, in response to Dr. King. One exception is fellow AHA lactic acid, because it’s fairly mild: The 2 chemical exfoliants can work effectively collectively to easy tremendous traces and reduce on surface-level darkish spots, and you could even discover them in the identical merchandise, she says.8 “The results of combining the 2 is smoother and softer pores and skin that’s moisturized and has fewer discolorations,” in response to Dr. King.9