Gylcolic Acid and Age Spot Treatment

What Are Age Spots?

Contrary to what people believe age spots are not caused by or are a sign of aging. Age spots essentially are caused by an overexposure to sunlight.

When the sun ultraviolet (UV) rays hit the skin, the skin begins to protect itself by producing more melanin. Melanin is a chemical hormone which makes the skin darker or more pigmented. This darker color gives the skin the ability to block the dangerous UV light from penetrating the skin too deeply. It will not have the chance to reach the susceptible cells found under the surface of the skin.

People who get age spots usually get annoyed, as these brown spots begin to pop up all over the body.

Treatments

People who suffer from age spots often try different remedies to get rid of them from the skin.

Sunblock – This should be the first line of defense for people who are looking to get rid of their age spots. Sunblock is really important as exposure to sunlight is the main reasons why age spots appear on the skin. The damaging rays and overexposure to sunlight will cause these spots to develop. This is why it is very important that sunblock is used. The good thing about some Bruck is that they will not only protect the skin against future age spots, it can also help to lighten the affected areas. This happens as the sun will be blocked from darkening them, the same way it would with the rest of the skin. The results in a reduced color contrast between the skin and the age spots.

If you are planning on using sunscreen, you should ensure that it has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Doctors have advised that anything less than 15 will result in too many UV rays to penetrate the skin.

Glycolic Acid – Gylcolic acid has been proven to be a very effective treatment for age spots. It is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and it is very good at loosening and removing pigmented dead cells at the surface of the skin. The removal of these dead cells will then promote the development of new tissue that is flesh colored.

When using a glycolic acid peel to get rid of age spots, it should be noted that a series of peels will be needed to totally get rid of the spots. These peels can be a bit irritating to the skin.

How to Use Gylcolic Acid to Treat Age Spots

The best way to treat age spots is with a daily treatment that consists of glycolic acid. This treatment is usually used 2-3 weeks after the glycolic acid peel had been done. To get the best result, it is good to do this every day. If the age spots are still there, you should continue to do acid for a couple of months and resume the daily treatment.

It is always good to consult a doctor before any treatment is started. Not all age spots will go away with a treatment like this. The doctor should be able to evaluate the skin and determine if this treatment will work.

Glycolic Acid Acne.org

glycolic-acid-acneorgWhen it comes to treating acne, Acne.org is a great source of information. They essentially look at the different treatments that are available for acne and the benefits that are associated with their use. One particular product that they look at is Alpha Hydroxy Acid – “AHA” (aka Glycolic Acid)

Spot Treatment – When it comes to spot treatment with Glycolic Acid, Acne.org essentially states that to effectively treat the problem, it is important to use the regimen they suggest on the site daily. However the site goes on to state that if a zit should come up, then they will treat it with benzoyl peroxide and then apply 10% glycolic acid after. According to them, this combination will stop the zit from maturing.

Body Acne – In regards to Glycolic Acid, Acne.org also looks at its use for the treatment of body acne. Generally the author of this particular page often states that when they wear sweaty clothing that is constantly irritating their back or after they get a massage, they will often use the back acne regimen.  This regimen includes the use of a light cleanser and a 10% alpha hydroxy acid such as Glycolic Acid.

Other Information

Acne.org when looking at Glycolic Acid has issued a Sunburn alert. This alert essentially states that when you use alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, there is the possibility that the sun will be sensitive to the sun. This makes it easier to get sunburn. As a way to reduce it, it is import to limit how much time you spend in the sun as well as wearing a proper sunscreen.

Another tip that Acne.org issues in regard to Glycolic Acid is the fact that you need to be on their regimen for awhile before using the acid. Glycolic acid can prove to be quite irritating, especially if you use it in combination with benzoyl peroxide. After a couple of weeks the body will get used to it.

Ingrown Hair and Glycolic Acid

glycolic-acid-ingrown-hairAn ingrown hair often occurs where the hair grows or curls back down into the skin. This usually results in a bump that becomes infected. Ingrown hairs often occurs in regions of the body  that people shave such as the face, arms, legs and genital region. These ingrown hairs can sometimes be painful and the bumps are often not pleasing to look at.

Glycolic acid is a useful treatment for ingrown hairs. Glycolic acid is often used as a skin exfoliant and it often removes layers of dead skin cells. When treating the skin with glycolic acid it often will leave the skin feeling very soft and smooth.

If you have an ingrown hair it is a good opportunity to apply glycolic acid over it. The bacteria will not only be killed, but the swelling and irritation will also be reduced. Glycolic acid should be used in concentrations under 10% as higher levels could cause more irritation. The acid will exfoliate the skin and also stop the oil from building up in the follicles of the hair. It is good to use this product in combination with salicylic acid. If done correctly there should be a big reduction the amount of ingrown hair that can be found.

Glycolic Acid vs Salicylic Acid

Many people who are considering using different acids for the treatment of their face or acne often want to know which one is better, glycolic acid or salicylic acid. The answer depends on what the product is being used for.

Glycolic Acid – Glycolic acid is a alpha hyrdroxy acid that is used for the treatment of the skin. It is effective in getting rid of dead skin cells and works deep beneath the skin. This ingredient can be found in a host of creams, gels and lotions. It is sometimes used as a treatment for acne.

Salicylic acid – Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid and it is often used for the treatment of acne (comedonal and non-inflamed). This ingredient is found in many different creams, gels and lotions.

Which is Better Salicylic acid  or Glycolic Acid?

There is a raging debate between which one is better; the beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid or the alpha-hydroxy acid, Glycolic acid. Research states that out of the two salicylic is the most popular. Researchers did studies comparing the two acids and the results echo want dermatologists have been doing for years. Generally the salicylic acid was more effective for the treatment of acne, while Glycolic acid was good and renewing and rejuvenating the skin.

Other information stated that salicylic acid had fewer side effects such as redness and irritation compared to glycolic acid.

It’s not to say that glycolic acid is no good at treating acne. In higher concentrations glycolic can be just as effective as salicylic. The real test to see which one is best for an individual is to see how their skin reacts to either of the acids.

Glycolic Acid and Hydroquinone

Many skin lightening creams, gels and lotions often contain both glycolic acid and hydroquinone. The combination of ingredients allows the skin lightening products to be more effective and the results to be more pronounced.

Hydroquinone – Is a chemical that is used to inhibit the production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment that is used to give the skin its color. Hydroquinone is effective at bleaching the skin and it is used to treat melasma, acne scars, age spots and other skin discolorations.

Glycolic Acid – is a Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which is very good at exfoliating the skin and moisturizing it. Glycolic acid is an active ingredient in many different facial treatments and it glycolic acid peels are often used to get rid of old skin and have the face looking young and fresh.

Many skin lightening products often add Glycolic Acid because it can allow the skin lightening ingredient to be absorbed into the skin more deeply. This will amplify and speed up the results, while at the same time the skins tone and texture will be improved greatly.

If you are looking for a skin lightening cream that is effective, make sure it contains both hydroquinone and glycolic acid. The combination of these two products will speed up the skin lightening process, while at the same time giving the skin a nice tone.

It should be noted that these creams are only to be used at night. The reason behind this is that hydroquinone does not interact well with sunlight. As a result of this the product will not be effective if exposed to the suns rays.