How does glycolic acid work?
Glycolic acid works as an exfoliant. By speeding up the skin’s own natural shedding process (which slows down as we get older), they encourage the skin to shed its surface coating of dead cells and replace them with new ones at a faster rate. Glycolic acid is a discriminatory exfoliater, as they remove only the cells that are already dead and allow the live, healthy ones to remain. The difference between physical exfoliants, such as scrubs or loofahs and chemical exfoliants, such as Glycolic acid, is that the former applies force to physically remove the dead cells from the skin’s surface, while the latter exfoliates by breaking up the intercellular glue that causes skin cells to stick together. Glycolic acid is the AHA of choice.
Glycolic acid loosens the glue-like substance that holds layers of skin cells together. With use of a glycolic, the glue becomes loosened and thickened dead skin is sloughed away, leaving newer skin cells with a smoother texture and healthier appearance on the surface. Glycolics, such as the popular Glytone line, have also proven to be excellent for unclogging pores which decreases the tendency for acne to appear.
