Welcome! AHA exfoliant's are acids known fully as (A)lpha (H)ydroxy (A)cids, and they aid in the removal of skin cells by basically melting the glue that holds skin cells together and allowing them to slough off prematurely to reveal fresher, softer skin.
Did you know that your skin already does essentially the same thing?! The key difference is that it slows down as we age and the AHA exfoliants help us get back on schedule, why do you think babies have such soft skin and we don't? Because the Skin Cell Turnover Rate (SCTR) gets slower with each passing decade of our life, and that's why AHA exfoliants are often sold in "anti-aging" categories to help a mature skin texture feel like they're 20 yrs old again. However, were talking about this ingredient for acne reasons -
If AHAs are known for Anti-Aging, how would it help my acne?
SCTR is different with every person, some slow down faster than others and I want to focus on the rare people that keep a high SCTR since most of them don't know it's the cause of their acne.
People diagnosed with acne are treated for excessive oil production ( every acne product on the market seems to be oil inhibiting, meaning it forces your skin to not be able to produce oil for a while after application) but what if you're actually dry?!(If traditional acne products seam to inflame your symptoms it's probably because you're not actually oily enough to handle them) You'll see your dermatologist groan if they find out your skin type isn't greasy, because it is so hard to treat with traditional acne products (duh, because it's attacking oil, and oil isn't the problem here!)
Just because your skin presents you with breakouts does not mean it's caused by too much oil or hormones; it can possibly be that your skin sheds far too quickly and it needs a helping hand to remove the dead skin by something more than just soap. (Don't you hate it when people with clear skin ask if you've ever tried washing your face more? You and I both know you go through face wash like you do underwear.) This is a very possible reason why your acne has not been helped. True Acne prone skin produces more dead skin cells than is typical, and because it's so fast it's not done right. The cells are not fully shed and stay partially stuck to the epidermis, (it's like ADHD of the skin, if you can find that funny). It's a condition, called retention hyperkeratosis (or can go by the Acneic skin type) and this is why proper exfoliation is important for acne prone skin. A typical person who does not have this issue, their skin cells will fall off whole and naturally without much help, but yours stay partially stuck and while more cells underneath them follow the same fate it creates a sedimentary layered system on your skin and inside follicles and creates an impaction (a blemish). This is why AHA exfoliants are ideal more than soap would be, because soap removes dirt and oil and some already fully shed dead skin cells sitting superficially on the surface; AHAs dissolve the bonds that are responsible for keeping those half-stuck on dead skin cells better than a simple soap can do. (Obviously still wash your face but invest in an AHA serum).
What are the different types of AHAs and what do they target?
THE MOST COMMON-
LACTIC ACID- It does it's work in the top layer skin due to its molecular size being of a larger size, it stays on the skins surface for the most part; this also means it will tingle very little to not at all (just because you don't feel it doesn't mean it isn't working!). It's found in milk and will make your skin feel soft, helps lighten skin color, removes marks.
GLYCOLIC ACID- It's derived from sugar cane, and does it's work deeper in the skin since its molecular size is small enough to fit between skin cells (this means you may feel more of a tingle) and because it's deeper, it works great for pitted acne scars and pigmentation. Your skin will feel softer over time, but not instantly the way lactic acid will, due to the fact it is working deeper in the skin so it's not immediately benefiting the top layer of skin.
MALIC ACID- A gentle AHA found in fruit and also already naturally produced in our bodies. This acid is like Lactic in the sense that it does it's work on the surface of the skin, making you feel smoother faster. Helps with discoloration and unclog clogged pores.
CITRIC ACID- It has protective antioxidant, and corrective antiaging effects helping to reverse visible signs of photodamage. Citric Acid works by exfoliating the upper layer of dead skin cells to help clean pores, even skin tone and soften and smooth the skin.
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