In the past, glycolic acid was mainly used in the manufacture of boiler cleaners and cleaning agents. In recent years, it has been widely used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and it has also attracted attention as a raw material of polyglycolic acid. Glycolic acid can be used to prepare high molecular weight polyglycolic acid. Although traditional polymer materials such as PET, PE, PP, PS, etc. have brought a lot of convenience to the lives of ordinary people and played an important role in social and economic development, due to imperfect recycling and their own inability in the global environment. Degradable or difficult to degrade, resulting in serious "white pollution". With the increasing emphasis on environmental protection in society, various countries and regions have successively issued "plastic restriction orders" to degrade and use degradable and environmentally friendly polymer materials. The replacement of degraded materials has become an important research direction.
Glycolic acid is an AHA, short for alpha-hydroxy acid, which is made from sugar cane. This is different from other acids. Such as lactic acid, which is made from yogurt. It's gentler and has a faster recovery time, making it a great option for sensitive skin. When it comes to chemical peels, glycolic acid dominates. The molecular structure of glycolic acid is relatively small, allowing it to penetrate deep into the layers of the skin, and once there, the acid dissolves excess sebum and dead skin cells, revealing smoother, brighter, and younger-looking skin. But lactic acid has a larger molecular structure. This means that lactic acid cannot penetrate deeply into the skin layers. The good thing is that lactic acid is gentler and it is more suitable for dry and sometimes sensitive skin types.
Acids can improve the skin by weakening the lipids that hold them together to exfoliate the skin's epidermis, thereby removing dull and dead skin cells and revealing healthy skin cells. The choice of acid is generally lactic acid, salicylic acid and glycolic acid and so on. The visible benefits are an even skin tone and less dull and dry skin. The deep benefit is that it stimulates natural collagen production while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. It penetrates deeply into the skin to improve skin texture and dullness, leaving our skin looking refreshed and translucent. Because the molecules are so small, they can work wonders on the face if used correctly. Also, it is safe to use during pregnancy (salicylic acid is not suitable for use during pregnancy). Glycolic acid is great for fighting hyperpigmentation caused by pregnancy hormones, such as melasma.
