How To Add Glycolic Acid To Your Body Care Routine, According To A Dermat

In the world of skin-gredients, glycolic acid has earned the #GOAT status. If your ultimate goal is to have skin that glows so bright that your lit factor gives the sun a run for its money, glycolic acid is the ingredient to call on. Whatever the skin concern, clogged pores, dullness, acne scars, or fine lines – glycolic acid can tackle it all without breaking a sweat. The superstar ingredient is making headlines for its ability to revitalise the skin’s surface and reveal brighter smoother skin.

To get a full rundown on how glycolic acid works for the skin, we spoke to Dr Rashmi Shetty, Celebrity Dermatologist and founder of Solskin. Keep scrolling for your crash course on glycolic acid and how to incorporate it into your body care routine.

What Exactly Is Glycolic Acid And How Does It Work?

“Glycolic acid is a powerful ingredient that works as an all-in-one solution for your biggest skin concern aka dark spots. It comes from the family of molecules called Alpha Hydroxy Acid and it is the smallest and the lightest molecule in this family. It works at two levels – on level one, it penetrates deep into the skin to remove melanin cell by cell, reducing dark spots. On level two, it works on the skin surface to remove dead skin cells, thereby treating acne, to reveal bright and beaming skin”, says Dr Rashmi Shetty.

How Do You Recommend One Introduces Glycolic Acid To Their Body Care Routine?

According to Dr Rashmi Shetty, glycolic acid works wonderfully on the body, as it does on the face. When it comes to the skin below the neck, the ingredient can be used to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells and reduce pigmentation and dark spots over a period of time. “As a beginner, introduce the ingredient in your body care routine one product at a time, to understand how your skin is reacting to it, and always do a patch test overnight before you start using it regularly to understand the sensitivity of different body parts. Glycolic acid-infused products work magically to improve skin tone and texture, unclog pores, and prevent body acne and bumps, resulting in smooth, bright, and even skin” adds Dr Rashmi Shetty.

Does Glycolic Acid help In Treating Back Acne?

Our back is prone to acne as it tends to contain more sebaceous glands, which produce the oily, potentially pore-clogging substance called sebum. “Glycolic acid quickly penetrates the skin cell, given its small molecule size and weight. It sweeps out debris from pores like dirt and excess sebum to spur skin cell turnover which helps create healthier, newer skin cells faster – thereby treating back acne” says Dr Rashmi Shetty.

Does Glycolic Acid Help Brighten Up Skin Discolouration?

Glycolic acid helps smooth and brighten dry, dull skin around the underarms and knees. To smoothen rough and tough skin, apply a few drops of the serum and lock in hydration with a good moisturizer. Gradually introduce the ingredient to your routine – at first, you can try the Glycolic Bright Serum by L’Oréal Paris which is smooth on the skin. Then, introduce glycolic-infused creams a couple of days later, for best results. You will notice that the skin softens and look well hydrated with consistent use.