Anti aging treatments at home

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Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acid as Exfoliators (peels)

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Alpha hydroxy acids have been used for thousands of years as a skin rejuvenating product. Cleopatra is reported to have bathed in sour mild (lactic acid) to improve her complexion. Now hydroxy acids are a common additive to numerous skin care products including moisturizers, cleanser, toners, and masks.
Alpha hydroxy acids are derived from fruit and milk sugars. The most commonly used alpha hydroxy acids are glycolic acid and lactic acid because they have a special ability to penetrate the skin.

These are the 5 major types of alpha hydroxy acids found in skin-care products and their sources:

1. glycolic acid - sugar cane
2. lactic acid - milk
3. malic acid - apples and pears
4. citric acid - oranges and lemons
5. tartaric acid - grapes
   

Beta Hydroxy Acid ( salicylic acid)

There is only one beta hydroxy acid - salicylic acid. The main difference between alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acid is their lipid (oil) solubility.

1. Alpha hydroxy acids are water soluble only, while beta hydroxy acid is lipid (oil) soluble.
   
2. This means that beta hydroxy acid is able to penetrate into the pore which contains sebum and exfoliate the dead skin cells that are built up inside the pore.

Because of this difference in properties,

1. beta hydroxy acid is better used on oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads.
   
2. Alpha hydroxy acids are better used on thickened, sun-damaged skin where breakouts are not a problem.

More about alpha hydroxy acids

How Alpha Hydroxy Acids Work

• Alpha hydroxy acids work mainly as an exfoliant.
• They cause the cells of the epidermis(outer layer) to become "unglued" allowing the dead skin cells to slough off, making room for regrowth of new skin.
• Alpha hydroxy acids may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.
• Alpha hydroxy acids are reported to improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of photodamaged skin after months of daily application.
• Alpha hydroxy acids found in skin-care products work best in a concentration of 5% to 8% and at a pH of 3 to 4.

Side Effects of Alpha Hydroxy Acids

The two major side effects of alpha hydroxy acids are irritation and sun sensitivity.

• Symptoms of irritation include redness, burning, itching, pain, and possibly scarring. People with darker colored skin are at a higher risk of scarring pigment changes with alpha hydroxy acids.
• The use of alpha hydroxy acids can increase sun sensitivity by 50% causing an interesting dilemma. It appears that alpha hydroxy acids may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by photoaging, but at the same time they make the skin more susceptible to photoaging. It is clear that anyone using alpha hydroxy acids must use a good sunscreen that contains UVA and UVB protection.

FDA Guidelines on Alpha Hydroxy Acids

• The AHA concentration is 10% or less .
• The final product has a pH of 3.5 or higher
• The final product must have an effective sunscreen in the formulation or warn people to use sunscreen products

Treating Wrinkles with Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Chemical PeelsAlpha hydroxy acids in various concentrations are used in chemical peels. These chemical peels give results that are similar to microdermabrasion - erasing fine lines and giving the skin a smoother appearance with 1 to 3 applications. However, these treatments must be repeated every 3 to 6 months to maintain this skin appearance.

Choosing an Alpha Hydroxy Acid

Alpha hydroxy acids are found in a variety of skin care products including moisturizers, cleansers, eye cream, sunscreen, and foundations.

Here are some guidelines to use when trying to decide which alpha hydroxy acid formulation to use:

1. It is best to pick one product that contains the proper formulation of alpha hydroxy acid to use as your exfoliant.
2. and then choose other skin care products or cosmetics that don't contain alpha hydroxy acids to reduce the likelihood of skin irritation.
3. Using an alpha hydroxy acid in a moisturizer base may be the best combination of products.
   Cleansers containing alpha hydroxy acids are not very effective because the alpha hydroxy acid must be absorbed in the skin to work. Cleansers are washed off before this absorption occurs.
   Sunscreen MUST be applied liberally when using an alpha hydroxy acid product.
4. The Sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 15 for UVB protection and contain avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide for UVA protection.
5. Alpha hydroxy acids work best in a concentration of 5% to 8% and at a pH of 3 to 4.
6. As a general rule of thumb, having the alpha hydroxy acid listed as the second or third ingredient on the list makes it more likely it contains the proper concentration.

Treating Wrinkles With Beta Hydroxy Acid - Salicylic Acid
How Beta Hydroxy Acid Works

1. Beta hydroxy acid works mainly as an exfoliant. It causes the cells of the epidermis to become "unglued" allowing the dead skin cells to slough off, making room for regrowth of new skin.
2. Beta hydroxy acid is reported to improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of photodamaged skin after at least 6 months of daily application.
3. Beta hydroxy acid found in skin-care products works best in a concentration of 1% to 2% and at a pH of 3 to 4.
4. Beta Hydroxy Acid and Sun SensitivityThe use of beta hydroxy acid can increase sun sensitivity by 50% causing an interesting dilemma. It appears that beta hydroxy acid may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by photoaging, but at the same time it makes the skin more susceptible to photoaging. It is clear that anyone using beta hydroxy acid must use a good sunscreen that contains UVA andUVB protection.

Beta Hydroxy Acid and Irritation


Beta hydroxy acid appears to be less irritating than alpha hydroxy acid even though it penetrates deeper into the pore.This occurs because salicylic acid is derived from acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Aspirin has anti-inflammatory properties, and salicylic acid retains many of these anti-inflammatory properties.

Despite this fact, beta hydroxy acid can still cause skin irritation. Symptoms of irritation include redness, burning, itching, pain, and possibly scarring. People with darker colored skin are at a higher risk of scarring pigment changes with beta hydroxy acid.
Using a Beta Hydroxy AcidBeta hydroxy acid is found in a variety of skin care products including moisturizers, cleansers, eye cream, sunscreen, and foundations.

Here are some guidelines to use when trying to decide which hydroxy acid formulation to use:

1. It is best to pick one product that contains the proper formulation of beta hydroxy acid to use as your exfoliant, and then choose other skin care products or cosmetics that don't contain hydroxy acids to reduce the likelihood of skin irritation.
2. Using beta hydroxy acid in a moisturizer base may be the best combination of products.
3. Cleansers containing beta hydroxy acid are not very effective because the beta hydroxy acid must be absorbed in the skin to work. Cleansers are washed off before this absorption occurs.
4. Beta hydroxy acid works best in a concentration of 1% to 2% and at a pH of 3 to 4.
5. Unlike alpha hydroxy acid that must be listed in the top 3 ingredients to indicate the appropriate concentration, beta hydroxy acid can be listed in the middle or even towards the bottom of the ingredient list because it is effective at lower concentrations.