With at-home merchandise, sticking to a focus of 10% or decrease might help stop irritation, based on all of the dermatologists we consulted. Principally, you need 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 useful for banishing blemishes. “Chemical exfoliation might help individuals with zits 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) 3 times every week might help reduce irritation, she provides (begin with as soon as every week and see should you can work your method as much as two or three remedies with out problem).
But when your face nonetheless isn’t blissful, salicylic acid could be a greater exfoliating zits remedy for you, Dr. Marcus says. As we talked about above, it may well 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 may well 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 Medication, tells SELF.3
In some instances, nonetheless, it may well have the other impact. Particularly should you’re liable to hyperpigmentation (a standard problem for individuals with medium to darkish brown pores and skin tones, for instance, because the physique already makes additional melanin, which may result in darkish spots), glycolic acid might make the difficulty worse. Analysis means that, in excessive concentrations, it may well result in irritation, and that injury might set off hyperpigmentation.6 2
You don’t essentially must skip glycolic acid simply since you are inclined to get darkish spots, however to be secure and reduce irritation, it is best to persist with low concentrations (suppose 5 to 10%), based on Dr. Ciraldo. And once more, utilizing it only one or two occasions every week may hold 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. Because of this, “it may well 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 interchange them. And thicker, collagen-filled pores and skin might help provide you with that just-got-a-facial smoothness and plumpness.3
What components are secure to mix with glycolic acid?
You may not 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 mild: The 2 chemical exfoliants can work properly collectively to clean fantastic strains 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