Viamin C Facial Skin Care - glycolic and other alpha hydroxy acid based skin care

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Vitamin C & Glycolic Acid Facial Skin Care

Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or AHAs, also known as fruit acids or vitamin C peels, are the most commonly used rejuvenation treatments for facial skin care. Members of the AHA group, glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid, are all chemically composed of carbon backbones with one or more carboxyl groups and a hydroxyl group on the adjacent carbon to the carboxyl group. As naturally occurring chemicals, the AHA based treatments can be included in the category of natural skin care products.

Effective oily skin care, natural skin care, acne skin care etc. are some of the common benefits achieved by the use of AHA facial skin care peels.

Obtained from sugar cane, Glycolic Acid is the most popular and commonly used form of Alpha Hydroxy Acid based natural skin care available.

The other AHA treatments helpful in stabilizing oily or acne-prone skin and improving skin tone include:

  1. lactic acid (from sour milk, cheese, meat)

  2. citric acid (from citrus fruits)

  3. tartaric acid (from fermented grapes)
With time and exposure to Sunlight there is a gradual slowing down of the rate at which old cells are replaced by newer cells. The surface of the skin with old cells sticking to it provides an aged appearance of the skin.

AHAs loosen the inter-cellular substances that hold the surface skin cells to each other, therefore allowing the dead skin to peel off. Shedding of the old, sun-damaged surface of the skin helps to encourage new growth of the cells in the skin underneath. This results in a fresher, healthier look to the skin with even color and texture.

AHAs are generally known as superficial peels and they only penetrate through the stratum granulosum and papillary dermis to an average depth of 0.06mm, but repetitive peels have the potential for more profound effects on the skin.

With high concentration and long-term use, AHAs may also affect the deeper layers of the skin helping the collagen and elastin to regenerate helping the fine lines of aging to disappear.

Another big advantage of these peels is that they can be safely used for all skin types (Fitzpatrick I -IIV).

AHAs or vitamin C treatment offers the following benefits:

  • Smooths rough, dry skin

  • Exfoliates the dead cells

  • Slows down the ageing process

  • Improves texture of sun-damaged skin

  • Normalizes oily, acne troubled skin

  • Aids in control of acne

  • Can be mixed with bleaching agents to correct pigment problems

  • Can be used as pre-treatment before a TCA peel
The treatment is useful for the people with:

  • Superficial wrinkles of the face, neck, upper chest and arms

  • Uneven pigmentation

  • Enlarged facial pores

  • Superficial acne scars on the face

  • Oily skin

  • Age spots

  • Newly formed acne
These alpha hydroxyl peels are best for treatment of superficial wrinkles or age spots of the face, neck, upper chest, arms, etc.

These treatments are even useful for uneven pigmentation problems, enlarged facial pores and the superficial acne scars of the face.

Histological effects of glycolic acid treatment are manifested by reduction of stratum corneum thickness, increased epidermal thickness, more orderly differentiation of most skin cells, enhanced rete ridge patterns, and dispersal of melanin within the basal layer.

Procedures for Treatment with Glycolic Acid Peels
General treatment

Performing a glycolic acid peel just takes 15 - 20 minutes. Repeated peeling offers good anti-aging benefits to the skin.

The strength or the glycolic acid has been found to affect the results. Generally the strength of each peel ranges from 20 - 70%, depending on skin sensitivity and the state of the skin at the start of the procedure.

The ph of a product is a critical factor to consider. Recent studies by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) have shown that any AHA product that registers over a ph 4 (has extra base to neutralize the acid) has been rendered therapeutically ineffective. Use of a non-neutralized glycolic acid formulation is appropriate for obtaining optimal results.

After the face is cleansed thoroughly, the peel solution is applied for a few minutes or longer. The exact duration depends on the particular type of solution and its strength. It may sting mildly. The solution is then washed off.

Treated skin may be a little pink immediately after treatment. A little peeling may occur over the next few days. It can be disguised with moisturizer or normal make-up. Remember, protecting your skin from the sun is also important following these mild acid peels. Ask your doctor to recommend a sunblock with adequate UVA and UVB protection and use it every day.

For the best results, leave-on preparations should be applied at night, if necessary twice daily. They can be alternated with other anti-aging preparations including retinoid creams.

Glycolic acid can also be mixed with a facial wash or cream in lesser concentrations as part of a daily skin-care regimen to improve the skin's texture.

Specific Treatment

There are specific preparations for dry, normal and oily skin. Remember that the skin treatments that are available from medical practitioners are stronger than those from pharmacies and beauty therapists.

It is generally useful to have at least one AHA peel done every 2 months to remove dead skin cells. Best results are typically achieved with an intensive treatment consisting of a series of 6 peels.

Glycolic acid peel for Acne Treatments will generally need a series of 6 up to 12 treatments depending upon the depth of the treatments you need to clear up your skin. These treatments are usually done 10 - 14 days apart. The results with these treatments are very satisfactory, but these skin care treatments are not recommended while you are taking acne medication.

Glycolic Acid in combination with other skin treatments

Glycolic acid treatment is generally recommended before any skin treatment plan. The treatment prevents the skin from hardening and adjusts and prepares the skin for the other skin care regiments. For example, a combination of glycolic acid peels (20-30%) with microdermabrasion can be used to strip off any build up of skin cells. Prior stimulation with an AHA peel keeps the skin care program working and further stimulates dermal regeneration. Photofacials (intense pulse light [IPL] therapy) can be added to the program to reduce telangiectasias and dyschromias. A combination therapy is especially helpful on the neck and chest where the skin was too thin for deeper chemical peels.

In patients with inflammatory lesions of rosacea, glycolic acid peels act as an important adjunctive therapy by reducing cohesion of follicular corneocytes and by promoting spontaneous 'unroofing' of pustules via subcorneal epidermolysis coupled with rapid penetration of the acid through the thin epidermis and stratum corneum overlying the lesions.

The patients are given glycolic acid pads (5%, 10%, or 20%) to use weekly at home, and instructed to increase the time of exposure to the glycolic acid and the frequency of application so as to be tolerant to further procedures.

References

James E. Fulton Jr and Serban Porumb, "Chemical Peels Their Place within the Range of Resurfacing Techniques", Am J Clin Dermatol 2004; 5 (3): 179-187

Rebecca C. Tung and et.al., "α-Hydroxy Acid-Based Cosmetic Procedures Guidelines For Patient Management", Am J Clin Dermatol, 2000 Mar-Apr; 1 (2): 81-88


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