What is AHA and How Does the Peel Work?

AHA is an alpha hydroxy acid. This acid can be found in many forms but the most common is glycolic acid. AHA works by dissolving the outermost layers of skin therefore encouraging cell turnover and bringing new, healthy cells to the surface.
Using an AHA can help to promote a smoother, brighter, more even skin tone, soften fine lines, minimize pores and reduce hyperpigmentation.

AHA is Alpha Hydroxy Acids- a class of chemical compounds that consist of a carboxylic acid substituted with a hydroxyl group on the adjacent carbon. They may be naturally occurring or synthetic. AHAs are well known for their use in the cosmetics industry. They are often found in products that aid in the reduction of wrinkles, that soften strong, defining lines, and that improve the overall look and feel of the skin. They are also used as chemical peels. AHAs have effective results through continuous treatment in the cosmeceutical industry.Chemical peels safely remove or exfoliate the top layer of dead skin, allowing new, more youthful, healthy skin to show through. While the skin typically sheds old, dull dead skin cells every 28 days, this process slows down with prolonged sun exposure and aging.Chemical peels cause this natural cell turnover process to speed up, helping to stimulate the growth of new collagen—the skin-firming protein that acts like a scaffold for the skin. The speed or depth of cell turnover is determined by the concentration of the peel and the amount of time it’s left on skin.
Chemical peels can be done at different depths—light, medium, or deep—depending on your desired results. Deeper chemical peels produce more-dramatic results, but also involve longer recovery times.
The breakthrough is that now we have non-invasive gentle peels that result in little to no downtime, but still give patients extraordinary results. These low-downtime peels work best in a series of three, scheduled over a few weeks. While chemical peels are most commonly used on the face, they can also be done on the neck, backs of hands, décolletage, and the body.

It's really hard for anyone to tell you if an AHA peel will help you without being able to evaluate you in person. Generally, AHA peels are considered superficial peels and do not help significant lines and wrinkles all that much. You might do better with something a little stronger like a TCA peel (trichloroacetic acid). And please, whatever you do, do not go to a salon or spa for this type of treatment. I would suggest a board certified dermatologist.

AHA is an alphahydroxy acid peel. It is one of many fruit peels that are available and is somewhat like a glycolic acid peel.
Generally AHA peels are used for a mild effect on the skin. You should notice some removal of the outer layers of skin and the skin should appear softer after treatment. Results are not permanent, however, and re-treatments on a regular basis are required.
To your health,Dr. David Goldberg

AHA or alpha hydroxy Acids are natural substances found in many plant extracts. The women of the French court found that the grapes they were stomping to make wine, when put on their face, improved their skin. The most common AHA is glycolic acid, a smaller molecule found in sugar cane. Being small, it is well absorbed. It promotes the skin to be more regular in its inevitable progression from the bottom layers to the top. Connections (desmosomes) to other cells are stronger. Deeper in the dermis, collagen is stimulated. The end result is a smoother skin, with a better luster and less pigmentation.
A consultation with your facial plastic surgeon skin specialists is recommended as results vary on individuals depending of their skin type.