Alpha hydroxy acids, often referred to as fruit sugar acids, have achieved a well-deserved position in the pantheon of essential and very effective anti-aging topical skin care ingredients. AHA’s are acidic and very stimulating. They dissolve the glue that holds dead skin cells in place, encouraging their sloughing.
As we age the body’s largest organ typically loses cells off its surface relatively slowly. Enhancing this process with AHA’s encourages healthy cutaneous chemistry and results in firmer, brighter, more youthful skin. While most AHA’s dissolve in water and have only modest effects on skin oils, one in particular is both water and fat soluble. This gives it some interesting properties.
It’s called Mandelic acid. Because it has a water nature, it can be used, as with all other AHA’s to increase skin cell sloughing and, because it also has an oily nature, to treat acne and prevent the formation of comedones (i.e pimples).
While some skin care professionals believe that mandelic acid is milder than other alpha hydroxy acids, the truth is the AHA, whose name refers to the latin word for almonds from which it is derived, has essentially the same potency as other AHA’s. Its strength is mostly dependent on its concentration and levels of acidity or pH.
Mandelic acid products can be found in most drugstores and on the internet, mostly in the form of exfoliating toners more aggressive Mandelic acid treatments and formulations are available from licensed skin care professionals.
