Every couple of years, there's a magical cure-all beauty ingredient to give you amazing clear glowing skin. Right now those ingredients are acids. Acids to erase wrinkles, to smooth your skin, to tighten your skin, to rid your skin of pimples, to make your skin look like glass. But with a bunch of acids to choose from, how are you supposed to know which ones won't leave your face looking like beef carpaccio? This one says it's for exfoliation, we've got something for hydration, something for brightening, this one refines the appearance of pore size, skin texture, and fine lines. Overwhelmed yet? I know I am. One of my female friend went to a dermatologist's office to get some answers. So chemical peels and skin care acids are pretty much synonymous. A peel is a procedure, so there is the notion of taking off or peeling a layer of the skin, but the acid is the actual tool that we use. Acids that you use in the over-the-counter market are different and weaker than the ones that we use in the office for medical procedures.

The popular at-home acids are alphahydroxy, betahydroxy, and for the sensitive skin folks, polyhydroxy. AHAs like glycolic and lactic acid exfoliate the skin on its surface removing layers of dead cells and reducing the appearance of acne scars, fine lines, and dark spots. BHAs or salicylic acid can go beneath the skin surface to clean out excess oil and has anti-inflammatory properties. Basically good for those who are more acne prone. PHAs are the gentler acids used for exfoliation. They also attract water molecules which then moisturize your skin. There are other stronger acids like trichloroacetic acid, but they're considered too dangerous for at-home products and are only supposed to be used by licensed professionals. So my friend here name is Jesicca went to the clinic to get an acid peel of some kind. I guess She was a little bit nervous, because every time she mentioned to people that she going to get an acid peel they remind her of the infamous Sex in the City scene where Samantha gets a peel and it's just like, her skin is falling off of her face.

1. Pre-peel cleanser

The first step is the pre-peel cleanser to remove any remaining dirt, oils, or makeup.

2. Glycolic acid application

A low strength glycolic acid is applied.

3. Additional mandelicn and citric acid application

Now, this part is a mix of citric and mandelic acid along with other ingredients.

4. Final layer of trichloroacetic acid

The last layer is trichloroacetic acid. Using cotton swabs the doctor goes over Jessica's problem areas. Face rinse included, the procedure took less than 15 minutes.

(After the procedure, Jessica said --- Just feels so much brighter and things that I just kind of thought were freckles I guess are not freckles, they're skin damage and they're gone! So . I'm excited to see what happens to my acne scarring, because I already feel it's a little lighter so I'm pretty excited to wake up tomorrow morning.)

But depending on your skin, how much acid you use, and the time it's left on, the side effects can be less appealing. If you use peels too much, whether it's at home or in the office, it is not safe. Excessive use of peels will weaken your skin. It's gonna slowly peel off the top layer and make the skin thinner. When you use stronger acids without medical supervision, there's a higher risk of accidentally giving yourself a chemical burn.
The FDA in the cosmetic realm likes to put a limit at about 10%. Having said that, you go on any website and you're gonna be able to find percentages that are higher. Again, if you're just starting out at this, stick to a product that's around 10%. Whether you use acids or not, good skincare routines start with prevention and protection. The number one rule is to wear sunscreen. Like, every day. Although some people will see the benefits in using acids — — others won't. We'll probably always be fixated on how we present our faces to the world, but if we aren't careful with the products we use, we risk our choices coming back to burn us in the end.