Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), also known as fruit acids, are chemical substances found naturally in fruit and milk sugars (or synthetically produced) that are used in many different types of cosmetics and medicinal products that are applied to the skin. Commercial products that contain AHAs cause mild skin peeling and are used on the face and body to treat acne, smooth the surface of the skin and diminish superficial signs of aging.
Types
Several types of beneficial AHAs are used in cosmetic and therapeutic skin-care products. Glycolic acid and lactic acid are the most common. A study published in the Journal of Dermatology determined that each of these types of AHA is as effective as the other for reversing the signs of aging in the skin. Other AHAs that may be used in cosmetics include citric acid, hydroxycaprylic acid and hydroxycapric acid.
Products
Commercial products that contain AHAs include skin creams, lotions, makeup, bath products and suntan lotions. The stronger the concentration of AHAs in a product, the more effective the product is at treating wrinkles and skin discoloration. Products sold for everyday use contain up to 10 percent AHAs. In skin salons, mild facial peels may be performed using products that contain up to 40 percent AHAs. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons perform deeper peels with products that contain up to 70 percent AHAs.
Function
Products that contain AHAs are used to smooth out the surface of the skin by eliminating fine lines and wrinkles, clearing out pores, evening out the tone and improving texture. AHAs cause exfoliation, or speeding up of the skin's natural ability to shed its outer surface cells and reveal newer skin cells beneath.
Evidence
A study performed at the St. Louis University School of Medicine found that young men and women treated with a facial peel containing alpha hydroxy acids had significantly fewer acne lesions within the first two weeks of treatment. Continued treatment resulted in continued improvement of skin condition throughout the six-week study and follow-up period.
Another study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that AHAs in lotion form, applied to the skin for six months, significantly reversed signs of aging due to sun exposure.
Considerations
The anti-aging and skin-clearing benefits of AHAs last only as long as the product is used. Your skin will return to its normal state once the product is discontinued.
AHA formulas increase skin's sun sensitivity, so it is important to use protective sunscreen while using AHA preparations and for one week after discontinuing use, at which point skin sensitivity returns to normal.
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