Glycolic Acid - Friend or Foe? - Lou Dartford Green Beauty

What is glycolic acid?

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) usually derived from sugarcane. It is used predominantly for its exfoliating properties by breaking down bonds between skin cells, allowing them to shed away.

It has a smaller molecule size (than other AHAs) which means it can penetrate further into the skin. This makes it more potent but also have more potential for irritation.

I find that glycolic acid is a little misunderstood and very often over used. I’ve been wanting to write this post for so long, to hopefully make things a bit clearer..

How does it work?

The top layer of our skin is called the Epidermis, this is then split into further layers. Skin cells are generated in the bottom layer, the Stratum Basale, and then they work their way up to the top layer, the Stratum Corneum, where they stay for a while as part of our protective barrier.

During their journey they are held together with tight bonds called desmosomes; these strong adhesions give skin its strength and resilience.

Skin cells have a relatively short life and when their time is up, their bonds are broken down by enzymes and the cells naturally break away leaving newer cells to carry on the job. This is a continuous process and is vital for a healthy skin. Cell turnover is on average 28 days for a younger skin but rises to 40 days or more for an older or compromised skin.

Interesting fact – skin needs to be well hydrated to exfoliate naturally as the enzymes that break the bonds need water to work properly so adding more hydration can speed up cell renewal too.

Healthy skin will exfoliate naturally on its own, but sometimes the bonds don’t break or take longer to break. If the older cells don’t shed, skin can start to look and feel dull. Congestion can also occur as the build up of old cells can start to block pores.

This is when skin can benefit from a helping hand in the exfoliation department. Glycolic acid can help to break the bonds between cells – I often liken it to a little pacman (or woman!) – it’ll go in and munch away at what we don’t need. The bonds are dissolved and cells are released.

I was always wary of acids – the name sounds harsh doesn’t it? However using an acid can actually be gentler than a physical scrub which has the potential to scratch the skin or cause little mini micro tears which can cause inflammation. There is also risk with an acid which we’ll come on to..

What can glycolic acid help with?

By helping to speed up cell turnover, glycolic acid can help to promote regeneration and a stronger skin. It can help with skin brightness and help smooth any texture. It can also help other products to work better as they can get further into the skin.

Regular exfoliation can help to fade sun damage pigmentation; it speeds up the removal of the pigmented cells and encourages new cells with even colour.

Side note – using acids can make skin more sun sensitive so always use SPF.

Glycolic acid can help with breakouts – reducing any build up of excess skin cells can help reduce blocked pores which in turn helps with congestion and blemishes.

There are some studies which suggest glycolic acid can help with collagen production which can result in an increased epidermal thickness and a stronger dermal layer over time. This can potentially help with fine lines and other signs of aging.

Too much of a good thing?

If someone hasn’t exfoliated for a while and they start using a glycolic acid in their routine, the result can be fresh glowing skin – which we all want right? However, it’s a fine balance.

The glycolic acid does its job very well of munching away at the bonds revealing the brighter skin below; the trick is knowing when to stop the munching!

The problem can come when the product is simply used too much. There is the risk of the acid dissolving the bonds before the cells are ready to break away. This can result in skin becoming irritated and inflamed as the natural protective barrier becomes compromised.

Because the product initially gave a great desired result, the irritation is sometimes not linked to the product. A compromised barrier can result in congestion and texture which is one of the reasons we might start using an acid product, so you can see how a viscious circle can start.

Glycolic acid toners

In the treatment room the main issues I see from glycolic acid are from the overuse of acid toners.

Often called ‘Glow’ toners or tonics, these promise fresh glowing skin and they can help with that for sure, but as I mentioned before – it is a fine balance.

So often the recommendations on these glycolic toners is to use daily – sometimes with a suggestion of twice daily. This can be really damaging to many (if not all) skins. We don’t need to be exfoliating that much – as we’ve seen skin can do it naturally on its own. So many times a client’s irritated skin has calmed when we’ve eliminated the acid toner.

If you’d like to try one, I recommend Evolve’s Liquid Radiance – I feel it isn’t as harsh as some of them can be.

How to use and some favourite products

Every skin is different and will respond in a different way so it is about really taking note on how your skin reacts when you introduce new products – only add one it at a time for this reason. Introduce glycolic acid slowly.

Be mindful of concentrations – the higher the % the more chance of irritation. Start with lower concentrations and see how your skin reacts – higher does not been better. (In a professional setting percentages may be higher but always talk things through with your therapist.)

As a general rule – Glycolic toners can be used 1-3 times a week for maintenance. If you have a very sensitive skin try using it on a damp cotton pad to help dilute it a little bit and use just once a week. If you haven’t exfoliated for a while and have quite resilient skin you could potentially use every day for a week as a treatment but then drop to 1-3 times a week for maintenance. Use after cleansing on a dry skin.

You don’t have to use it every where. For example you could avoid delicate cheeks but still use it down the t-zone where we tend to have more congestion.

An oilier more robust skin is more likely to tolerate GA than a sensitive skin. I have a rosacea client who gets on with it well (she says it helps with texture, but not the redness) but then another who doesn’t – all skins are different.

Different times of year can play a part too. In the winter skin can be more sensitive and dry due to cold weather and central heating so there is the potential for more irritation from exfoliation. In the summer skin may feel more congested and more exfoliation is welcome.

Avoid any broken or irritated skin – it will make it worse.. Hyper sensitive may struggle with GA and be better off with a PHA (blog post coming soon!)

Is your skin dry or dehydrated?

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GA can often be found in serums – use these as overnight treatments (but not every night). At re:lax we have Mad Hippie AHA Exfoliating Peel – this is 9% glycolic acid and 1% lactic acid. Use this on a dry cleansed skin and leave for 5-10 minutes to do its thing. Then apply your moisturising products.

Glycolic Acid formulations tend to have a lower PH so applying other products too quickly can affect the efficacy of them. (also another reason to be mindful of using too much GA is the lower PH which can irritate)

Be mindful of what other products you use with GA. Don’t layer with other acid products or use on the same night as other actives such as retinols or Vitamin C (unless well formulated in the same product). This will be too much for the skin and can cause unwanted reactions. Think about other exfoliants too; if you’re using glycolic, you may not need a physical one for example.

Team GA with hydrating and nourishing products such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides.

Another great way to use glycolic is in a mask.

I love Evolve’s Miracle Vitamin C Mask which contains an AHA mix of glycolic, lactic and citric. In just 3-5 minutes it really helps to brighten and gently exfoliate. Use 1-2 times a week; very sensitive skins could use every 2 weeks.

Another favourite is Violet by Nini Organics – we used to have this mask at re:lax and I loved using it on all skins – sensitive and acne prone too. It hydrates and brightens as well..

Use GA in the evening and always use an SPF in the daytime.

Not just for the face

Glycolic acid can be beneficial for the body too. Used in body creams it can be helpful for skin conditions such as Keratosis Pilaris – I’ve had this on and off for years. I find that moisturising in general helps but adding in a glycolic can smooth that little bit more. I find that physical body scrubs can be too abrasive.

GA can really help with dry heels too. I like this body cream from Face Theory – you don’t need a lot otherwise can take a while to rub in..

In summary

What – breaks down the bonds between skin cells helping with exfoliation
Who – can help to brighten dull skin, help smooth and ease congestion, brighten sun damage and pigmentation.
Not suitable for those with compromised barriers, irritation or broken skin.
When – use at night on a dry skin. Introduce slowly!
Not required every day – listen to your skin..