Benefit of Glycolic Acid for the Skin
According to research, glycolic acid is likely to help with the following:
Acne and UV Damage
In a research from 1999, the effect of a peel containing 70% glycolic acid was examined on 80 females with acne. The research found that it quickly improved all types of acne, especially comedonal acne, which occurs when pores become clogged with oil and dead skin cells.
It is important to note that this strength of glycolic acid is only available as a chemical peel. Glycolic acid products for over-the-counter (OTC) are not this strong.
Exposure to UV light can cause damage to the skin. It will result in certain signs including:
- Wrinkles
- Sunspots
- Hyperpigmentation
Health experts refer to this as photoaging. I’m a 2020 study, it was shown that glycolic acid is an effective treatment for sun damage in the skin. A 2018 paper also reports that glycolic acid has a protective effect against UVB rays, meaning it may help prevent photoaging.