Posts Tagged ‘glycolic acid’

Among the many treatments that people try to help reduce acne or cure acne completely is glycolic acid. It is a face treatment product that is available in a number of forms such as a cream, cleanser, peel, face wash or a lotion. Certain glycolic acid products can be used as part of your acne treatment regimen to help remove the acne itself or the red marks of acne scars left on your face.

Glycolic Acid Peel

One of the more confronting types of treatment using glycolic acid for acne removal is a glycolic acid peel. Using a peel will burn or dissolve the top layer of skin to allow new skin underneath to take its place.

You can use a peel glycolic acid acne treatment if you are after a gradual treatment over a long period of time. The peels can either be done by professionals as a program or you can buy over the counter treatments. They are available in a variety of strengths so be careful, 10% strength will usually be plenty strong enough.

The benefits of the glycolic acid peel is that it will help reduce the signs of acne scars, dry out existing acne and clear up the conditions in which acne bacteria thrive. As well as helping with mild acne, glycolic acid peel also helps fades other spots and blemishes on the face such as freckles, wrinkles and age spots.

People report that their skin becomes smoother and works very well as an exfoliator of dead skin. The thing to remember with glycolic acid peels is that the noticeable results won’t start to happen until well into the program. It takes something like 10 to 12 peel sessions before results can be seen.

During the program it can become a little scary with the affected skin becoming itchy and red with some people reporting a burning, stinging sensation.

Glycolic Acid Face Wash

The active ingredient of glycolic acid in a glycolic acid face wash is extremely low and it is meant to be used as a gentle way to remove dead skin from the face. In fact, the level of glycolic acid in face washes is so low you wouldn’t use it as a means for removing acne. That being said, it is a great way to keep your skin clean and dry skin will quickly be removed. It will help to unblock clogged pores, reducing the chance for acne to form. Use glycolic acid face washes as part of a larger planned skin care program.

Glycolic Acid Acne Treatment

As an acne treatment, glycolic acid is not something that you would use and expect results if you have moderate to severe acne. In many cases when using glycolic acid for acne it is in products combined with salicylic acid. When used in this way the glycolic acid will break up the dead skin cells and then the salicylic acid will assist in the removal of the skin from the skin surface and will help to open up the pores of your skin.

Glycolic acid is an abrasive, corrosive chemical and so care should be taken when using it. The skin may feel dry and irritated after use and you will be very sensitive to sunlight until the skin has recovered. Using a concentration higher than the recommended 10% will lead to the skin becoming even more sensitive. High concentration glycolic acid treatments could leave your face looking as though it has been badly sunburned.