AHA and BHA Exfoliation.

Apr 25, 2016

Ashley D.

I heard that AHA and BHA exfoliaters are good for reducing hyperpigmentation left after acne and wanted to try one. What is best for normal/dry skin? How often should you use it? And what products would you recommend with AHA and BHA? Thank you.

Apr 25, 2016

Ashley D.

Also, I'm on Accutane so acne isn't a concern. I'm on month 3 and my skin is almost 100% clear. I just want to fade red spots.

Apr 25, 2016

Ema C.

Following:)

Apr 25, 2016

Kitty K.

Since you are currently on Accutance, I would check with you are dermatoligst before hand. AHA & BHA will make skin more sensitive and require SPF.

There are differences between AHA & BHA's.. whichever is 'better' is ultimately up to your skin and whatever issues you have.

Your skin actually sheds everyday on its own... but when it comes down to pollution, the sun, environmental damage, genetics, skin disorders, etc.it can actually be slowed down.
When you deal with a physical exfoliant you only get rid of the outermost layer of the skin leaving behind minor irritation and no treatment.. with an AHA & BHA you treat everything from fine lines and wrinkles to dry skin, acne, clogged pores/milia, black heads, whiteheads, skin tone and oil production.

AHA's and BHA's both need to be formulated correctly.. something I can't stress a lot! An AHA/BHA shouldn't need an alcohol base unless a chemical peel is being performed, and it needs to be at a correct PH level to exfoliate correctly. This is why I am actually VERY picky about which exfoliants I use.. there are far too many on the market that aren't formulated correctly. Too high of a PH can lead to very sensitive/burned skin, dermatitis, rashes, sunburn and too low can leave you with effects that a basic moisturizer can do.
It's important to always use SPF when using a chemical exfoliant because you can also get the above listed symptoms from the lack of sun protection..
Any proper chemical exfoliant will also have a warning label indicating that proper sun protection must be used by FDA standards.

A great AHA/BHA will also include antioxidants, cell communicating ingredients, and other skin goodies.

AHA's actually don't exfoliate as deep into the pore as a BHA.. I would say that BHA's are much more beneficial to acne prone skin and AHA's better suited for those just looking to even out their skine tone.

AHA - Alpha Hydroxy Acid is typically Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, and Mandelic Acid.
BHA - Salicylic Acid, Trethocanic acid, Tropic Acid, Beta Hydroxybutanoic acid... other names of Salicylic Acid are salicylate, sodium salicylate, and willow extract.


AHA's are good with dealing with
Sun damage/Free Radical Damage
Dryness
Fine lines and wrinkles/Firming skin
Stimulates healthy collagen production
Redness/inflammation

BHA's exfoliate deeper than a BHA and are good with
Blackheads
White heads
Clogged pores/Milia
Enlarged pores
Anti Inflammatory/Antibacterial
Dry skin
Skin with rosacea (Not all)
Oil production
Brown spots/red marks from breakouts

If you dealing with both sun damage and acne, you can use a BHA to address those issues.
I personally use both AHA's and BHA's! I alternate between my Paula's Choice BHA and my Sunday Riley AHA.

AHA's are typically targeted more towards dries skin types, while BHAs are more targeted towards oily skin. However, as mentioned above it truly depends on what your skin needs.


As products are applied from lightest to heaviest, I apply my BHA/AHA after I tone my skin.
They do come in different forms...
Liquid
Lotion
Serums

I personally use both liquid/serum since they have a smaller sized molecule meaning they can go a bit deeper in the skin than a lotion and absorb faster. I've been using my Paula's Choice 2% BHA for years..

I do have a before and after photo on my profile of when I first began using it if you're interested.. 
http://www.beautylish.com/f/rmipruj...

Apr 25, 2016

Diana T.

Kitty is right on track - like her I also use both depending on how my skin is feeling - in the summer when it's super oily and I tend to get more pimples from sweating a lot and being outside in the environment I tend to use my BHA and I also use Paula's choice 2% BHA gel - but in the winter when my skin is more dry and my psoriasis tends to flare up I stick with an AHA cleanser by Mario badescu - it's his glycolic acid foaming cleanser - to me it's gentle enough to use once a week even if I have a psoriasis flare up - to really reduce my acne scars I use these products in conjunction with a vitamin c serum and SPF to prevent the scars from getting darker and allow the serum to lighten them - I think it will take a long time if you only use a BHA or AHA to lighten acne scars without a vitamin c serum - but with the serum I saw dramatic results in 2 months of using it twice a day with my BHA - I have photos on my profile of my personal struggle with acne scars.

Apr 26, 2016

Nikelle B.

This is great info Kitty and Diana!
I have been trying to figure what my skin needed but I didn't know where to start. this is very helpful

Apr 26, 2016

Rida S.

What an amazing reply Kitty! thank you! will look into your recommendations! x

Apr 26, 2016

Ashley D.

Sorry for late reply!! But thank you so much for the input. I'm looking into a AHA product to start, I just need to find one that will work for me. Thank you!!

Apr 27, 2016

Felicia L.

Hey Kitty, I'm new to the whole AHA & BHA world and you seem very knowledgeable, I had a few questions & was wondering if I could pick your brain a bit lol