Glycolic acid is THE acid that started the chemical exfoliation craze way back when but there is still SO many questions about what it is and how it works.
The thing that, I think, confuses people is that acids have the ability to completely transform your skin but you can’t actually see it happening. So, the questions that come from that are is it working? It works for other people but does it work for me? Is there another acid that could work better for me?
In order to deduce the answers to these questions yourself you have to understand two things; what it does and how it works.
If you’re able to do that, then you can decide whether it’s right for your skin, what’s missing in your routine or just whether you want to try it.
So, what does glycolic acid do?
Glycolic acid is an exfoliant (type: AHA), which that means is that it helps shed dead skin cells and reveal the newer, brighter layers underneath by acting on the outermost layer of skin.
Glycolic acid also has uses in anti-aging too as it is thought to increase collagen production in the skin.
How glycolic acid works
To exfoliate the skin glycolic acid loosens the bonds that normally hold dead skin cells together and because glycolic acid is so small, it can get deeper into your skin too, where it does some serious work.
Its molecular size is also the reason it could be too strong for you to use. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to irritation, glycolic acid can make this worse because it has the ability to irritate the deeper levels of skin.
If you’ve used glycolic acid in the past and it has irritated you then you should opt for either lactic or mandelic acids instead.
When it comes to collagen, glycolic acid stimulates fibroblasts in the dermis to produce increased amounts of collagen.
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