Clinical Improvement of Photoaged Skin with 50% Glycolic Acid A Double-Blind Vehicle-controlled Study

Abstract

The results of this study demonstrate that the application of 50% glycolic acid peels improves mild photoaging of the skin.

Photoaging: Mechanisms and repair

“…It can also thin the stratum corneum and epidermis, as well as increase dermal collagen thickness. 145 GA is found in many skin creams and has been shown to modestly improve photodamage when used in this fashion. 183 GA can also increase sunburn cell formation and sensitivity to UV-induced erythema.…”

Treatment of solar lentigines

“…Chemical peels to improve irregular pigmentation have been performed on the nonfacial area using glycolic acid, 19 TCA, 20 Jessner's solution, 21 salicylic acid ointment, 22 and salicylic acid liquid. 23 Cook and Cook 24 have used a solution of 40% TCA in combination with 70% glycolic acid to successfully treat irregular pigmentation of nonfacial skin, including solar lentigines.…”

Color Atlas of Chemical Peels

“…Following the pioneering work of Van Scott and Yu on the effects of alpha hydroxy acids [53], these agents were popularized as peeling agents for photodamage [54,55,56]. Moy et al [55], in a mini pig model showed that application of 50 and 70% glycolic acid was comparable to TCA 50% in stimulating collagen production.…”