GLYCOLIC PEEL

Pros

• A glycolic peel is quick and has no downtime. 
• Despite the name, your skin probably won’t peel much. The degree of peeling depends on the concentration of glycolic acid and how your skin reacts, but you likely won’t have to worry about visible scaling and flaking.  
• Because the strength of the glycolic solution can be customized, even people with sensitive skin can get this peel. 
• It’s inexpensive, as far as in-office treatments go. 

Cons

• It’s not a one-and-done treatment. For significant results, you’ll need a series of peels.
• You can’t expect much improvement of wrinkles or skin laxity. Glycolic peels primarily affect the epidermal surface layer, though they will stimulate some collagen production.
• If the solution is left on too long or too high a concentration is applied by an inexperienced provider, you could have excessive dryness, scaling, crusting, and even burning and scarring.  
• You may see visible shedding (aka flaky skin) for as long as a week following a higher-strength peel.

The price you pay will depend on the acid concentration, whether you’re treated by a physician or aesthetician, and where their practice is located. 

The general rule of thumb: the higher the percentage of glycolic acid, the higher the price. And because it’s a cosmetic treatment, a peel isn’t covered by insurance.

The ideal candidate wants to treat surface skin concerns such as dullness, hyperpigmentation (including sun spots and melasma), and acne. 

“Glycolic acids also stimulate collagen building, so over time, multiple glycolic peels may help with very fine wrinkles and acne scars,” says Dr. Jordana Gilman, a Washington, D.C., dermatologic surgeon. However, if wrinkles or laxity are your main concern, treatments that affect the lower dermal layers—deeper chemical peels or laser resurfacing, for example—will deliver better results.

Peel strength is customizable, so the concentration is adjusted according to your skin’s needs and your goals, says Dr. Novick. 

While glycolic peels are proven to be safe for all skin tones and types, your provider should take special care if you have dark skin that’s prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. A strong glycolic peel that irritates the skin can trigger more pigment production. In a study published in JAMA Dermatology, researchers noted that glycolic acid peels greater than 30% may lead to irritation and hyperpigmentation in patients with brown skin.

Glycolic acid is a common brightening ingredient in over-the-counter skin-care products, from affordable drugstore options to high-end luxury picks you can safely use at home. The concentration of AHA in these products is typically 10% or less.

For comparison, the peels you get at a doctor’s office or medical spa are much stronger, ranging from 20–70% glycolic acid. At that higher concentration, expert treatment ensures predictable, safe results. 

“In-office peels can be delivered in a controlled manner, and a properly trained and certified aesthetician knows how to watch the skin during a peel and knows when to stop or neutralize the acid,” says Dr. Amy Paul, a dermatologic surgeon in Grand Junction, Colorado. 

You can buy high-concentration glycolic acid peels online (in somewhat sketchy ways), but it’s not recommended to perform them at home. Left on too long or used too often, these strong exfoliants can cause burning, scarring, scabbing, irregular skin texture and tone, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Interaction with other active ingredients (such as retinol and vitamin C) can compromise your skin’s moisture barrier, leading to painful flaking and redness. 

“You can get into trouble if you’re not familiar with different acids and the expected reaction,” says Dr. Paul. “[At-home peels] can be risky if you overdo them, and they may make your skin problems worse.”

If you do use safe, low-concentration glycolic acid products at home, spread out the use of active ingredients in your skin-care routine and take extra care to hydrate and moisturize. 

Related: How to Make the Most of Acids in Your Skin-Care Routine

To prevent possible irritation and ensure the best results, make sure your skin is prepared to handle a glycolic peel. You want to encourage rapid cell turnover while heading off bad reactions.

If your doctor recommends it, you can add Retin-A to your regimen at least two to four weeks prior to beginning your peel series. Tretinoin, its powerhouse ingredient, encourages healthy cell growth and the removal of dead cells. Using it in advance can help dull, surface skin shed more easily following your peel.

That being said, you’ll want to stop using anti-aging or acne-treating ingredients—including retinoids as well as vitamin C, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide—for two to three days directly before your glycolic peel, since they can make your skin more sensitive to the acid solution.

At your appointment, your doctor or aesthetician will cleanse and prep your skin before brushing on the glycolic acid solution. You’ll feel a tingling or mild stinging as it’s applied. 

“It’s left on until the patient experiences a degree of stinging or burning that is subjectively rated as a 5 on a 0–10 scale,” says Dr. Novick. At that point, your provider will neutralize the glycolic solution with water or a sodium bicarbonate solution. The burning sensation may intensify during this part. 

They’ll then remove the solution with water and soothe your skin with cool compresses or a thermal water spray.  

RealSelf Tip: A glycolic peel can be performed as one step in a facial, along with other treatments like extractions, massage, and masking. You wouldn’t want to combine it with other exfoliators, like microdermabrasion, but it can be followed by LED light therapy or a microcurrent treatment.

Right afterward, your skin may look red, like you have a sunburn. Over the next few days, you may have continued redness and some mild scaling. Some areas may even turn brown during the healing process, but most people don’t experience much of a reaction. 

“Regular makeup can be applied the next day,” says Dr. Novick. While your skin is peeling, use a gentle cleanser and stay hydrated using basic moisturizers. Continue to avoid those anti-aging and anti-acne formulas until you’re fully healed, stripping your skin-care routine down to the basics. 

You’ll be able to resume most normal activity after the peel, but avoid strenuous exercise and heavy sweating for a few days—heat can trigger swelling and redness.

Resist the urge to pick or peel flaking skin, which may lead to scarring. Skin can flake for a few days or a couple of weeks, depending on the strength of your peel.

Your skin will be more sensitive for at least the next two weeks, so avoid direct sun exposure and apply a physical sunscreen of at least SPF 30 before heading outside (a good practice all the time). 

RealSelf Tip: Don’t worry if you don’t have visible peeling. Regardless of the degree of peeling, your skin cells are still sloughing off at an accelerated rate.

Once any flaking and redness subsides and your dead cells turn over, your skin will feel smoother and look brighter and more evenly toned. 

However, it may take multiple treatments, over a couple of months, to see optimal results. 

After that, maintenance sessions can be done as frequently as every month but usually two to three times a year, says Dr. Novick. 

“I saw improvement after the first treatment and was clear of all acne and dark marks by the end of the regimen.”—spanishfreckle, RealSelf member

Side effects include excessive dryness, scaling, and crusting—particularly if the treatment is not performed carefully. Remember that in many cases, your skin isn’t expected to actually peel much after a glycolic acid peel.

More serious risks include burning, scabbing, and scarring, but they’re unlikely if you’re in the hands of an experienced provider.

Compared to other chemical peels, glycolic acid is a gentle, light peel that affects just the top layer. There are a number of other chemical peels of various strengths and depths you can also consider.

• Salicylic peels, or beta hydroxy acid (BHA) peels, also unclog pores to prevent breakouts and helps increase cell turnover. Results are seen in about a week and can last a few months.
• Jessner peels contain a combination of salicylic acid; lactic acid; and resorcinol, an ingredient that removes rough skin. This peel is applied in buildable layers (from mild to moderate to intense), and the skin peels for three days afterward, with final results visible after about two weeks.
• TCA peels with 10–25% trichloroacetic acid can treat wrinkles, blotchiness, age spots, scars, and even some precancerous changes. It’s a well-tolerated peel that’s safe for all skin tones, but it can require up to a week of downtime. Full results are seen after two months.
• Blue peels, with 15–20% TCA, have a blue pigment that helps you see where it’s applied, so it can be distributed evenly. You may have a bluish tint to your skin for 24 hours afterward, and skin will peel for up to 10 days. You should see full results in about 6 weeks.

Consult a dermatologist or licensed aesthetician to find out which peel they’d recommend for your skin type. Most offices offer a variety of chemical peels in order to provide the most appropriate option for each patient.

Related: Which Type of Chemical Peel Is Right for You?

Hurley, Mary E., et al. “Efficacy of Glycolic Acid Peels in the Treatment of Melasma.” Archives of Dermatology, vol. 138, no. 12, Dec. 2002.

Mukherjee, Siddharth, et al. “Retinoids in the Treatment of Skin Aging: an Overview of Clinical Efficacy and Safety.” Clinical Interventions in Aging, vol. 1, no. 4, Dec. 2006.

Sharad, Jaishree. “Glycolic Acid Peel Therapy – A Current Review.” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, Nov. 2013.