With constant exposure to the sun, pollutants, and other stressors for the skin, your skin can appear dull and lifeless. Exfoliation is a process that can help in bringing back a healthy shine to your face along with many other benefits. If you are looking for exfoliation, you must have seen chemical exfoliators as an option. But what are those?
There are two options for exfoliators; physical exfoliators and chemical exfoliators. We’ll talk about physical exfoliators in another article. The focus of this article is everything you need to know about chemical exfoliators. Let’s begin.
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What is Chemical Exfoliators
Exfoliation is the process of removal of the top-most layer of the skin which is mostly dirt and dead skin cells. The skin cells that die are pushed off on the top that forms a layer over the skin. This is the reason why improper cleaning can lead to skin looking dull.
Face cleansers are great at removing the dirt and grime from the face but dead skin cell layers are tightly bound to the skin. Face cleansers are not strong enough to get the layer off. That’s where chemical exfoliators come.
Chemical exfoliators are strong chemicals, usually mild acids, that are great at removing the dead skin layer on the skin, along with taking away other foreign particles such as dirt and grime from the skin. The dead skin layer is held to the skin by bonds. The acid in these exfoliators breaks the bond and removes the dead skin layer.
Chemical exfoliators are in the form of serums that are either applied on the face and washed off after a few minutes or peeled off after the serum has condensed on the face forming a thick layer.
There are a lot of different types of chemical exfoliators. You must have seen or heard of AHAs and BHAs as they are very common in the skin care industry. AHA and BHA are two classes of mild acids; AHA acids are water soluble while BHA acids are fat soluble.
Do note that the chemical exfoliators available in the market are mild ones since applying acid on your face is not something safe. The chemical exfoliators in the market usually do not have an acid content of more than 30%. Avoid anything over that concentration.
You can also get chemical exfoliation done by a dermatologist. Since they are medical professionals, they can use higher concentrations of these acids and ensure that you are getting the benefits of chemical exfoliation without any risks.
AHA and BHA: What Are They?
AHA
AHA stands for Alpha Hydroxy Acids and BHA stands for Beta Hydroxy Acids. The difference between the two is AHA is water-soluble while BHA is fat-soluble. While it might seem like a small difference, it makes both classes of acids very different from each other.
The cosmetic acids that come under AHA include:
- Lactic acid (using yogurt to wash your face improves the appearance because it contains around 1% lactic acid)
- Glycolic acid (found in sugar cane)
- Citric acid (lemon and other citrus fruits)
- hydroxycaproic acid (Royal jelly made from bees)
- hydroxycaproic acid (animals)
- Malic acid (found in apples)
- Tartaric acid (found in grapes)
AHA acids are water soluble and hence are mild on the skin. They work mostly on the upper layer of the skin and provide great exfoliation.
BHA
BHA stands for beta-hydroxy acids and the acids under this category are fat-soluble. The BHA acids include:
- Salicylic acid
- Tropic acid
- Trethocanic acid
- Beta hydroxybutanoic acid
Since BHA acids are fat soluble, they can penetrate much deeper into the skin and provide a stronger exfoliation. This is the reason why many anti-acne products often have salicylic acid as the main ingredient.
A frequently asked question that often comes up is why AHA concentration is always higher than the concentration of BHA. The reason for that is since BHA acids are fat or oil-soluble, they can penetrate much deeper into the skin. A higher concentration of these acids can lead to skin burns and other damage.
AHA vs BHA: Which One is Better?
If both AHA and BHA are used as chemical exfoliants and both are different, is one better than the other? We can’t say if one is better than the other for everyone, but it is certain that some people find one better than the other based on their skin conditions and requirements.
Who Should Use AHA?
AHA acids are water soluble, meaning that people with dry skin and mild skin conditions should use AHA acid products and exfoliators. People who have enlarged skin pores, a dull appearance of the skin, or loose skin should go for AHA products.
Make sure that you do not have extremely dry or sensitive skin as AHA can lead to further irritation. And always, always remember to apply the proper amount of sunscreen after you have exfoliated (it is better to avoid sun exposure for a few hours after exfoliation).
Who Should Use BHA?
BHA acids are stronger compared to AHA acids and they are fat or oil soluble. BHA acids penetrate much deeper into the skin and have anti-bacterial properties as well. So people with oily skin or acne-prone skin can try BHA products and exfoliators. BHA works similarly to AHA, but it can go through a layer of oil that AHA cannot effectively.
Ensure that BHA concentration is less when you are starting out to make your skin used to it.
Benefits of Chemical Exfoliators
Now that we know what chemical exfoliators are, let’s take a look at the benefits of using them. Cleaning the skin and getting rid of the dead skin cell layer is obviously known. But there are some other great benefits of chemical exfoliation as well, such as:
- Skin brightening
- Skin tone evening
- Promotes collagen production
- Improve blood flow to the skin
- Reduces signs of aging
- Fights bacteria
- Improve skin cell turnover
- Improves skin texture
- Reduces acne spots, dark spots, etc
- Helps in the absorption of other skin care products
- Decrease sebum (oil) production
- unclogs pores
- Accelerate skin healing
- Improves skin moisturization
Side Effects of Chemical Exfoliators
Not everything is sunshine and rainbows when it comes to chemical exfoliation. There are some side effects, but a few of them are quite severe that you need to be aware of before dipping your face in a vat of AHA and BHA acids. Here are some of the side effects of chemical exfoliators:
- Increase UV sensitivity (sunburn)
- Rash
- Skin burn (chemical)
- Itching
- Irritation
- Welts and blisters
- Change in skin color
Make sure that you start slow with chemical peels, using only mild ones first and slowly going with higher concentrations. And as always, it is always better to consult your dermatologist before trying anything. People with sensitive skin should always consult a dermatologist before trying any chemical peel or exfoliator. Take care of your skin.
Recommendations
Here are a few Amazon links to our favorite chemical exfoliators:
Minimalist 10% AHA BHA Exfoliating Serum For Beginners, AHAs & BHA Serum, 30ml.
