Lactic Acid: A Guide to the AHA’s Effects on Skin
We love ingredients with versatile benefits, and lactic acid is one of them.
Lactic acid is a naturally-occurring chemical and skin care ingredient that has countless benefits for overall skin health and is easy to include into your routine.
Keep reading to learn all the impressive effects this ingredient has on the skin.
What is lactic acid?
First things first — what actually is lactic acid? In short, it’s a chemical the body produces after cells break down carbohydrates for energy. It’s an organic acid and a great skin care ingredient.
In skin care, lactic acid is a kind of alpha-hydroxy acid, or AHA, which is found naturally in certain foods and liquids like milk. Lactic acid primarily helps the skin shed dead skin cells, exfoliating the face and improving overall skin texture. When incorporated into skin care products, lactic acid can have many amazing benefits.
What are alpha-hydroxy acids?
As we mentioned, AHAs are naturally-occurring acids. These are organic acids that have one hydroxyl group that latches onto the alpha position of the acid, hence the name alpha-hydroxy acid. Lactic acid is just one example of this kind of acid.
There's an AHA out there to target nearly every skin care need. For our purposes today, we’ll focus solely on lactic acid. That said, other alpha-hydroxy acids include glycolic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid. Read on to learn about the different ways this AHA can affect your skin.
What are the benefits of lactic acid in skin care?
Though we briefly touched upon some of its benefits, like shedding dead skin cells, there are many ways that lactic acid can improve your overall skin health. The following are just some examples of how lactic acid will benefit your skin.
Helps with breakouts
Do you suffer from blemishes and breakouts? Lactic acid might be a great ingredient to help clear up your skin.
If you have a diagnosed skin condition like psoriasis, be sure to consult your skin care provider before incorporating a new ingredient into your skin care routine. They'll let you know for sure if lactic acid can be beneficial for you.
Lactic acid can have impressive results with acne-prone skin. Regular use of lactic acid helps to stimulate quicker cell turnover, which results in fresher, healthier skin. Lactic acid is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture — this is critical for healthy cell turnover to occur.
The ingredient also helps unclog pores, which can be a key contributor to blemishes and spots.
Exfoliates
A key attribute of lactic acid is its exfoliating abilities. Lactic acid works to gently break apart the bonds that contain dry, dead skin cells. Breaking those bonds then makes it possible to remove excess dead skin cells, fade the look of discoloration and support proper cell turnover.
Essentially, it’s an ingredient that naturally helps the skin replenish and rid itself of the old, dead skin cells that clog pores and cause all manner of skin issues, especially acne and greasy skin.
And while some exfoliants can be harsh on the skin, lactic acid takes a gentle approach, making it safe to use on all skin types. Even people with sensitive skin can safely exfoliate with lactic acid.
Fades the look of pigmentation issues
Pigmentation issues occur when you have dark spots and patches on the skin. Whether they’re genetic or caused by sun damage, pigmentation concerns can be a frustrating condition, as they leave your skin tone uneven and can sometimes create an uncomfortable texture.
Lactic acid, however, can help improve the appearance of pigmentation and minimize the look of dark spots.
Unlike other exfoliants, which can be harsh on the skin and lead to irritation, lactic acid is hydrating and gentle. This gentle approach makes it possible to help fade dark spots or sun spots and even out the skin tone. With consistent use of lactic acid, you’ll be able to see noticeable changes to your skin tone over time.
Reduces visible signs of aging
Aging is inevitable, but you can reduce the visible signs of aging by sticking to a consistent skin care routine and using active ingredients that work. Wrinkles, fine lines and age spots are frustrating, but lactic acid can help minimize their appearance.
There are a few factors at play regarding lactic acid’s ability to minimize certain aging signs. Firstly, as an exfoliant, the alpha-hydroxy acid works to remove dead skin cells, promote cell turnover and even promote collagen production.
Collagen is a key protein that helps keep the skin firm and elastic, working to ward off the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Lactic acid also helps even out the skin tone and minimize the appearance of age spots.
Brightens skin
Lactic acid also brightens the skin, providing a more radiant complexion overall. Over time and with age, your skin can become dull and dry and lose its glow. Thankfully, with skin care ingredients like lactic acid, you don’t need to worry about losing your radiance.
As an exfoliant, lactic acid removes buildup and dead skin cells that contribute to a duller-looking complexion. Unlike other exfoliating agents, this AHA is gentle and hydrates the skin as it exfoliates, allowing your skin to absorb moisture. Paired with a good moisturizer, lactic acid may help lock in hydration.
How to incorporate lactic acid into your skin care routine
Depending on the product you use, there are a couple of different ways you might incorporate lactic acid into your routine.
Using an exfoliant that contains lactic acid can help gently remove the dead skin cells from your skin’s surface, leaving your complexion replenished and ready to lock in moisture.
Aside from exfoliating products, though, another preferred method of using lactic acid is through toner.
Toner is a skin care product that helps remove excess dirt, grime and dead skin cells while also supporting your skin’s natural pH balance. To tone your skin, start by using a gentle cleanser to wash your face and remove dirt and impurities. Next, exfoliate to remove dead skin cells to achieve a brighter complexion. Then, follow with your toner.
Our Crystal Clear clarifying pads contain lactic acid to help brighten the skin, tighten the look of pores and combat breakouts.
After toning, reach for your go-to moisturizer to hydrate and lock in the active ingredients from the previous three steps. In the morning, complete your skin care routine by using sunscreen with at least SPF 30. Sun protection is the key to healthy skin, so don’t skip this step.
What not to mix with lactic acid
When incorporating lactic acid into your skin care routine, it’s also important to be aware of the ingredients that do notmesh well with the alpha-hydroxy acid.
The following active ingredients, while beneficial on their own, shouldn’t be mixed with lactic acid.
Retinol
Retinol is a form of vitamin A that has quickly become a favored active skin care ingredient for several reasons.
Retinol works to support cell turnover and collagen production, which help the skin regain elasticity and firmness. It also helps unclog pores and can work as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells.
Though lactic acid is much gentler by nature, lactic acid and retinol are both potent chemical exfoliants. While you can use them together, just be cautious. Combining them might be too much for your skin to handle since they’re both strong ingredients — this combo could potentially cause dryness, redness and itchiness. Those with sensitive skin should especially avoid combining these two ingredients.
Benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical product that is commonly used to manage breakouts. It works as an antiseptic to remove grime and bad bacteria from the surface of the skin.
In general, if you use benzoyl peroxide, it’s best not to mix it with any alpha-hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid, as this can be detrimental to your skin’s health.
Lactic acid is an exfoliating agent, and mixing it with benzoyl peroxide can cause your skin to react poorly. You might experience dryness, redness or irritation.
It’s best for the health of your skin to avoid combining lactic acid with benzoyl peroxide. If you do want to incorporate both products into your routine, we suggest alternating the days that you use them.
What can be mixed with lactic acid?
Finally, let’s explore the ingredients that can be mixed with lactic acid. The following options work well with lactic acid and can have great benefits for your skin.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in the eyes, joints and skin. It’s also a popular skin care ingredient, and for good reason. Incredibly hydrating, hyaluronic acid is often found in lotions, moisturizers, creams and serums.
This ingredient works to lock in moisture and support the skin’s elasticity while also helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. A versatile ingredient, hyaluronic acid also aids in wound healing.
Lactic acid and hyaluronic acid can work in tandem to maximize skin care benefits. Lactic acid helps tone and exfoliate the skin, removing those excess dead skin cells. Then, hyaluronic acid comes in to hydrate the skin and lock in the benefits of the AHA.
Plus, it's always good to follow exfoliation with hydration to minimize dryness.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is hugely beneficial in skin care. It helps support your skin’s natural collagen production, leaving your face looking youthful and radiant. Vitamin C also helps protect against sun damage and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Lactic acid pairs well with vitamin C. As lactic acid targets the pores and removes dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, vitamin C works to penetrate deeper into the skin to provide its own benefits. Using the two ingredients together is a great way to protect your skin and keep it looking youthful and bright.
To wrap things up…
Lactic acid is a highly effective addition to your skin care routine. Gently exfoliate your skin and pair it with other active ingredients like vitamin C to see great results over time.
This article was medically reviewed by Chelsie Rogers, PA-C, a board-certified physician assistant with six years of experience in cosmetic dermatology.
Sources:
Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA): Types, benefits, and how to use | Medical News Today
Hyperpigmentation | American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? | Harvard Health Publishing
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