Glycolic Acid – What It Is, Its Benefits, And How To Use It
Don’t we all love the thrill anytime we get our hands on beauty products – especially when they consist of the ‘magical’ most talked ingredients? However, another thing that we love more than this is when we discover that they do, in fact, work.
Today, we are here to talk about Glycolic Acid – what it is, the benefits of Glycolic Acid, how to use it, and everything one should know regarding it.
What Is Glycolic Acid?
According to SkinStore, Glycolic acid is a naturally occurring substance and it offers many benefits to the skin when used in skincare products – starting from rejuvenating to moisturizing. Glycolic acid is used as an exfoliant and falls in the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) group which is naturally found in plants like sugar cane, beets, and pineapple. One’s skin can absorb it quickly since it has the smallest molecule of the acid group.
Nevertheless, Glycolic acid doesn’t only provide one with instant rejuvenation as it has also been shown that it stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which according to DERMSTORE if you use it continuously, it can actually stimulate skin healing while also reducing signs of environmental damage.
Among others skin issues, glycolic acid, according to dermatologists, improves skin matters such as blackheads, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, psoriasis, keratosis pilaris, and hyperkeratosis. It is also known to remove excess oil and it relieves dry and scaly skin conditions. Dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry says: “I find it to be more effective and fewer side effects than other acids.”
You might also be interested in Skin Products And Home Remedies For Oily Skin
What Are The Benefits Of Glycolic Acid
Along with the use of Glycolic acid on your skin, there come various benefits and due to this, formulators are including glycolic acid as an ingredient in more products than ever. Below, you can find 7 benefits of glycolic acid according to CastSouthwest.
1. Acne elimination
If you want to eliminate the painful lumps and bumps associated with acne breakouts, then you should probably use glycolic acid. Another good thing that one can profit from using GA is that its ability to increase cell turnover can help in the reduction of scars or discoloration from previous zits and pimples.
2. Exfoliation excellence
For one to maintain a radiant complexation, then regular exfoliation is what they need. However, numerous factors, such as aging, can slow down or even prevent the process of the skin’s natural exfoliation. Glycolic acid is not only the most efficient of exfoliants available, but it is also the most gentle one and it can be used on all skin types. By using Glycolic acid, one can dissolve the glue holding skin cells together and also help the skin to shed off older or damaged skin cells quickly.
3. Glow giving
It looks like everyone cares so much about making their skin glow. Even celebrities are spotted opting for a glow on the red carpet, and you can see Glowing Skin Care tutorials left and right, taking over our social media feeds. Glowing is really trendy, to say the least.
Wondering how to achieve that flow on your face? Then, you can simply opt for glycolic acid since its exfoliative properties help over new, healthy skin cells to the top of the epidermis.
4. Mighty moisturization
Everyone aims for a properly-moisturized skin. In case you are facing dry skin, then you can go for glycolic acid since it removes dry patches of skin and moves new skin cells to the surface. Once moved, the new skin cells moved, will not only absorb the moisturizing product, but they will also continue to stay moisturized.
5. Anti-aging advantages
By using glycolic acid, you can beat back or reduce the wrinkles, fine lines, and dullness which are symptoms of older skin.
6. Pore size reduction
When excess oil, dead skin, dirt, and debris become trapped inside the tiny pore, pores become enlarged. However, glycolic acid is what you can go for so you can have pore clean-up and size reduction. This is how the process goes: glycolic acid sweeps away the debris and the sebum stuck in clogged pores, this way the cleansed pore reduces back down to the regular size.
How To Use Glycolic Acid
It is always a good thing when you know how to use any skin product in the right way as this will ensure you reach the greatest benefits. Besides, this way you can prevent the side effect as each type of skin varies from another’s and might not react the same. Before using a particular skin product, medication, or whatever other product, you should make sure to read the prescription first since it informs you about everything you should know regarding the product. Who knows, maybe that can cause skin irritation or allergies when you use it. Another key factor is that it is advised to initially consult a doctor before using it.
For instance, according to Bona Fide, you shouldn’t use glycolic acid if you’ve just recently stopped using prescription medication for acne, if you have recently had a microdermabrasion treatment, if you use sunbeds or are in the sun frequently without adequate protection, or you have thinned or sensitized skin.
Below, we will list some ways how to use glycolic acid, as suggested by Bona Fide.
1. It is advised to start using a product containing between 5 – 8%
2. Since daily exfoliator provides easy consistent use as well as the right way to build up your skin tolerance, it is one of the choices you can go for.
3. You should keep in mind to monitor how your skin reacts such as, if it gets red or irritated you should reduce the usage to once every 2 or 3 days for a couple of weeks.
4. If your skin does not react as it did at the beginning, you should increase application frequency.
5. Monitor your skin since there might be times you need to increase the concentration. Numerous people find using a good product with 5 – 8% concentration every day as not enough to keep skin healthy and clear of blackheads and fine lines.
6. Keep in mind to use a good sunscreen every day!
Using glycolic acid in your normal skin care routine is easy once you know how – and remember the importance of building up your skin’s tolerance.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.
Before you go: Six Homemade Face Masks That Fight Off Acne