Why does aha sting

They tend to develop on areas of the body that are exposed to the sun most often, such as your chest, hands, and face. AHAs promote skin cell turnover. New skin cells are evenly pigmented. In theory, long-term use of AHAs may reduce skin discoloration by encouraging the old, discolored skin cells to turn over. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends glycolic acid for discoloration. A more intense treatment can help, too, such as this citric-acid mask from Mario Badescu.

You may be familiar with benzoyl peroxide and other acne-fighting ingredients for stubborn blemishes. AHAs may also help treat and prevent recurring acne. Acne pimples occur when your pores are clogged with a combination of dead skin cells, oil sebum , and bacteria. Exfoliating with AHAs can help loosen and remove the clog. Continued use may also prevent future clogs from forming.

AHAs may also reduce the size of enlarged pores, which are commonly seen in acne-prone skin. Skin cell turnover from exfoliating glycolic and lactic acids can even reduce acne scars.

Some acne products also contain other AHAs, such as citric and malic acids, to help soothe inflamed skin. You can use AHA products on other acne-prone areas, including your backside and chest.

According to the Mayo Clinic , it can take two to three months before you start to see significant acne improvements. You also need to use the products consistently—skipping daily treatments makes it take longer for the ingredients to work. Try an acne-clearing gel to get rid of dead skin cells and excess oil, such as this one from Peter Thomas Roth.

Acne-prone skin can still benefit from an AHA peel, but make sure you look for one designed for your skin type. In addition to their own distinct benefits, AHAs can make your existing products work better by increasing their absorption into the skin.

For example, if you have too many dead skin cells, your daily moisturizer just sits on top without hydrating your new skin cells underneath. AHAs like glycolic acid can break through this layer of dead skin cells, enabling your moisturizer to hydrate your new skin cells more effectively.

This helps prevent side effects from AHAs. Daily use products — such as serum, toners, and moisturizers — contain lower AHA concentrations. For example, a serum or a toner might have a 5 percent AHA concentration. Highly concentrated products, such as glycolic acid peels, are used less frequently to reduce your risk of side effects.

To reduce your risk of irritation, the Cleveland Clinic recommends using AHA products every other day. As your skin gets used to them, you can then start applying AHAs every day. Also use extra caution when going out in the sun. The peeling effects of highly-concentrated AHAs may make your skin more sensitive to UV rays for up to one week after use.

You should wear sunscreen daily and reapply more frequently to prevent sunburn. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also consult their doctor before use. Another commonly used acid on the skincare market is called beta-hydroxy acid BHA. Like AHAs, salicylic acid helps to exfoliate the skin by removing dead skin cells. This can help clear blackheads and whiteheads by unclogging pores made from trapped dead skin cells and oil in the hair follicles.

Salicylic acid is also less irritating, which may be preferable if you have sensitive skin. If you have more than one skin concern, you might experiment with both AHAs and BHAs, but you should approach with caution. AHAs may be more appropriate for age-related skin concerns, while BHAs might be best if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.

For the latter, you might consider using BHAs every day, such as a salicylic acid toner, and then use a weekly AHA-containing skin peel for deeper exfoliation. So I just slathered on moisturiser and went to bed.

When I woke up the next morning, my skin looked much better. The BHA also helps keep my pores clear and free from blackheads and pimples. Thanks for the help! Srinidhi, Salicylic acid is the only thing that works to unclog pores. Can I use a day cream from Nivea the next few day after treatment…. Hi , I am not a expert acid user but my skin is really rough due to dead skin cells I have lots of white heads and now blacks heads too and my T zone produce more oil and sebum and also I have few blemishes and slight pigmentation and my age is I want to slowly build up my skins resistance to acids and peels.

So is it possible for me to mix this product with a little bit of moisturizer? Momina, no. The best way to build resistance is to pick an acid and use ever slightly higher concentrations of it. Marty, it depends on your skin type. Hii, i have blemishes on my face from acne. I am using bio oil but it does not fade away. I have oily skin. So could you recommend aha and bha for my skin. Hi I have got a Malibu 50 spf face sunscreen to use is this okay to use after using the peeling solution as it has aloe vera and vitamin E.

Am I ok to use this after I use the peel? Hi Gio, I would like to know if it is possible to use this product only in the T zone or even as a spot treatment. Thank you for your help. Thanks for this super informative piece. I would like to know what cleanser you recommend before using the product.

Could you please advise? Unsure whether to carry on using them? Isaiah, you could be experiencing a purge and a breakout at the same time. Can I moisturies my face after the peel with a moisturizer the contain vitamin e? Can I use a home made scrub in the period of the treatment? Thank you, I enjoyed reading this! I have used peels before but was unsure because this one is so strong. I have used it and barely even felt tingling and my face does not seem very dry after, so it seems to be working well for me.

I am trying to remove some hyper pigmentation at the moment and am using bio oil twice a day, then the peeling solution every days. I read you are not meant to use vitamin E after peeling, but do you think bio oil is still OK to use? Thanks Faye. They are few brown spots also on my face.

Should i? Excited to see what they do for my acne scars and pigmentation! I just used it for the first time tonight for 3 minutes. I was wondering if it ok to use the hyaluronic acid moisturizer I typically use after cleansing.

Story from Beauty. Plenty of people have a tendency to think that if a skin-care product makes your face feel like it's on fire, then it's working. And if it leaves a tingling feeling afterwards and a flushed, irritated face, then it must be really working. Because we love you and care about your skin, we're here to tell you that that's wrong, and that your skin care really shouldn't be leaving you will full-blown lobster face. Skin care should not sting, tingle, or burn on a daily basis.