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Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids

Hydroxy Acid Skin Care

  • Beta hydroxy acid works for anti wrinkle skin care and as an anti aging skin care treatment because it helps exfoliate skin and reduce the appearance of creases and lines with its skin tightening abilities
  • Beta hydroxy acid works best when coupled with a skin moisturizer
  • Taking sensitive skin care into consideration, make sure to use sun block if you choose to use beta or because they increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV light
  • As many acne skin care products contain these powerful ingredients, both beta hydroxy acid and alpha hydroxy acid are highly effective at treating a wide variety of acne cases


It seems like everyone in the world today is looking for ways to look younger. Our generation is not about to age gracefully; instead, it is going to be a bitter fight. We know we will eventually lose our battle with age, but we are going to do everything in our power to look young and healthy for as long as possible. For these reasons, the market for skin care and anti-aging products has boomed. It is now a multi-billion dollar industry. Some of the most popular ingredients in both skin care and anti-aging products are alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids.

Beta hydroxy acid is primarily used to exfoliate the skin. It works by penetrating the outer layer of skin and removing dead skin cells, allowing a fresh layer of skin to show through. Beta hydroxy acid is an oil-based liquid that helps rejuvenate skin. It has been shown to help in wrinkle reduction, in tightening of skin, and in giving the skin an overall healthier and younger look and feel. When used in combination with a skin moisturizer, beta hydroxy acid works best. This acid works through its ability to penetrate the skin, therefore, it may not be as effective if used with a cleanser. If you wash the skin right away, the acid is washed off before it has the chance to penetrate the skin and work its magic.

Beta hydroxy acid is made from the same acid as aspirin. There are some worrisome side effects with both alpha and beta hydroxy acids. They are both thought to make the skin very sensitive to the sun. If you are using either of these substances, it is more important than usual to make sure that your skin is protected from the sun. If you are using alpha or beta hydroxy acid, make sure to use a strong sun block that guards against both UVA and UVB rays. Some people also suffer from skin irritation because of the acidic quality of these products.

Alpha hydroxy acid also helps to exfoliate the skin. In effect, the acid burns off the dead skin cells in order to allow a healthier skin layer to develop. Alpha hydroxy acid is water soluble and made of acids found in many natural acid sources. The most common is from dairy products like milk, though they are also found from many citrus sources. As with beta hydroxy acid, alpha hydroxy acid products cause sensitivity to sunlight and can irritate the face. If you develop any rashes or irritation, discontinue use immediately.

These hydroxy acids have been used throughout the course of history. Many historical beauties are said to have bathed in milk, though they only knew that it worked, not why. One of the major benefits of these acids is that they are known to be effective in acne treatment. The penetrating quality combined with the exfoliating factor work to cleanse and renew healthy skin. Essentially, this is hydroxy acid skin care.

If you, like many in the world today, are looking for products to help in your battle with age, using products with both alpha and beta hydroxy acids can be a good choice, as long as you are not over sensitive to them.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.

One Response to “Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids”

  1. 1
    Edna Says:
    It seems that a lot of skin care products make your skin more sensitive to the sun light. Why is that? Surely they should work better for protecting your skin instead of just leaving it more exposed. Does anyone know the science behind this?