With at-home merchandise, sticking to a focus of 10% or decrease will help forestall irritation, based on all of the dermatologists we consulted. Principally, you need to clear your pores (extra on that under) 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 useful for banishing blemishes. “Chemical exfoliation will help individuals with pimples by clearing lifeless 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 remedies and solely making use of the exfoliant two or (max) thrice every week will help decrease irritation, she provides (begin with as soon as every week and see when you can work your approach as much as two or three remedies with out challenge).
But when your face nonetheless isn’t comfortable, salicylic acid is likely to be a greater exfoliating pimples therapy for you, Dr. Marcus says. As we talked about above, it could possibly 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 injury.
The solar’s UV rays could cause hyperpigmentation (or darkish spots). As glycolic acid helps slough off the highest layer of lifeless cells, it could possibly 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 Faculty of Drugs, tells SELF.3
In some instances, nonetheless, it could possibly have the other impact. Particularly when you’re vulnerable to hyperpigmentation (a typical challenge for individuals 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 difficulty worse. Analysis means that, in excessive concentrations, it could possibly result in irritation, and that injury 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 decrease irritation, it is best to stick to low concentrations (suppose 5 to 10%), based on Dr. Ciraldo. And once more, utilizing it only one or two occasions every week may preserve pores and skin calmer, Dr. Marcus provides.
Thicker, plumper-looking pores and skin.
Whereas glycolic acid will get busy eradicating previous pores and skin cells, it additionally promotes the manufacturing of latest ones. Consequently, “it could possibly 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
Primarily, when glycolic acid strips away the highest layer of lifeless cells, new, wholesome ones swoop in to switch them. And thicker, collagen-filled pores and skin will help offer you that just-got-a-facial smoothness and plumpness.3
What elements are secure to mix with glycolic acid?
You won’t need to mix glycolic acid with different AHAs and BHAS, like salicylic acid, as a result of collectively they are often too sturdy and trigger irritation, based on Dr. King. One exception is fellow AHA lactic acid, because it’s fairly light: The 2 chemical exfoliants can work properly collectively to clean fantastic traces and in the reduction of on surface-level darkish spots, and it’s possible you’ll 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,” based on Dr. King.9