Transcription
AHAs, BHAs, PHAs, and enzymatic chemical exfoliants are all over social media, some with rave reviews and others not so much. With an overwhelming abundance of options to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Welcome back to the channel, guys. Or, if you are new here, welcome. My name is Alexis. I'm a board-certified dermatologist, and in today's video, I'm going to walk you through how to choose the right exfoliant for your specific skin type and your skin concern, whether that's texture, dull skin, fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation. We'll go through how to choose the best one and then go through a step-by-step process you can do at home to get the best results while keeping your skin protected and your skin barrier happy.
The effectiveness and safety of any chemical exfoliant, whether that is done at home or like a chemical peel that is done in-office, comes down to a few things: the pH, the stability, the bioavailability or the free acid, and how it's formulated to keep your skin happy, healthy, and safe. Plus, the technique of the person applying the peel really matters.
Now, of course, what you're doing at home is not going to be as strong or as potent as what we're doing in the office, and it shouldn't be. There's a reason why some of those stronger exfoliants are safe for in-office, but that doesn't mean that you can't get fantastic results at home. And that doesn't mean that you can't actually mess up pretty badly at home and cause some severe chemical burns or hyperpigmentation, etc. So you definitely want to avoid choosing the wrong exfoliant or over-exfoliating at home.
Chemical peels come pre-saturated with the precise dose on a cotton pad or mesh gauze, and they use the same concentration and ingredients as your traditional chemical exfoliant. They tend to be more expensive but can be convenient for those who travel or for those who are heavy-handed and prone to overdoing it.
Before you ever put any chemical exfoliant on your face, you're going to want to do a patch test to minimize the risk of impairing your skin barrier, scars, burns, or worsening hyperpigmentation.
So, you may be wondering, why exfoliate anyway? Our skin naturally exfoliates on its own, though this dramatically slows down as we have more birthdays. Exfoliation is a great way to work on evening out your skin tone, making your skin tone more smooth, improving the texture of your skin. It helps to unclog your pores, and anytime you remove that dead, built-up skin cells on the top, you're always going to have more luminous, radiant-looking skin. So if you are someone who struggles with a dull complexion and you really just want a nice glow, make sure that you are doing nice, regular exfoliants without over-exfoliating as part of your skincare routine. It allows all of your products that you use later on to penetrate better, and honestly, it's what helps to keep your skin healthy, youthful, and looking plump and juicy and just glowy. I love it because I always feel like I have more luminous skin when I have regular exfoliation in my routine.
Now, you may be wondering, well, how do I choose the right exfoliant? So let's talk about the best exfoliants depending on your specific skin concern, starting with hyperpigmentation. So the ideal AHA, or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, for hyperpigmentation is lactic acid. I love this acid because it is a really nice humectant, which means that it can help to moisturize the skin as it's exfoliating off the dead skin cells. So you're getting smoother, more hydrated, plump, even-toned skin.
Now, lactic acid is kind of right in the middle. It's not as big as a mandelic acid, which is great if you have super sensitive skin because it penetrates through the skin more slowly because it's just so large. And it's bigger than glycolic acid, which is a very small molecule that flies through the skin. And when you fly through the skin that quickly, you can potentially cause some damage or what we call little areas of irritation or hot spots within the skin. Lactic acid sits right in the middle. You can find this over-the-counter anywhere between like five and up to ten percent. They're a really great, inexpensive options for lactic acid like The Inkey List, The Ordinary. Urban Skin RX makes a really nice at-home chemical pad that is pre-saturated with other ingredients like a retinol and alpha arbutin to really help on evening out that skin tone. But try your best not to get too hung up on percentages because 10% lactic acid from two different brands can yield completely different results. Remember, it's not just about the percentage; the bioavailability and the pH and overall formula really make a big difference.
Now, mandelic acid is also a really good AHA, or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, for hyperpigmentation, especially if you have sensitive skin, due to the fact that it's moving through the skin a little bit slower. It's also a fantastic option if you have dry, acne-prone skin because it does have a lipophilic ability where it can actually get into the pores and help to unclog the pores while it's lifting pigmentation. So if you're someone who deals with dark marks following acne, or if you have dry skin and suffer from using different products that seem to always dry you out, mandelic acid just may be your BFF. Mandelic acid also has antimicrobial properties and it doesn't remove the oil in the same way that a BHA, or Beta Hydroxy Acid, does. So that's why it's really good for those with dry skin.
Whereas the BHA, or Beta Hydroxy Acid, is going to be ideal for someone with more oily, acne-prone skin because it's oil-loving and really can dive deep into your pores. So my oily, acne-prone friend, you definitely want to be reaching for your BHA or your Beta Hydroxy Acid peels.
Now, these can be found in many different concentrations. I really like this one here by Yours. It does come on this nice exfoliating pad, so you're getting a little bit of that physical exfoliation as well as the salicylic acid, which is amazing for diving deep into the skin, removing excess oil. It's fantastic if you're needing to minimize your pores, get rid of some congestion, and improve the texture of your skin.
For my super sensitive souls, look for polyhydroxy acid to be the main star ingredient of your exfoliants. Polyhydroxy acids like gluconolactone are a very gentle exfoliant. It is a water magnet, it is super hydrating, and it has anti-inflammatory properties. You can find it paired with really low doses of other acids. This one from Cocokind has 3% glycolic acid, 2% mandelic acid, and 2% PHA, making it a very gentle but still effective exfoliant.
For my friends with balanced, aka normal skin that is resistant, glycolic acid is probably going to be your best friend. It's fantastic for so many things, from hyperpigmentation to fine lines and wrinkles, improving your tone and texture of your skin. It's really good for anything that's like bumpy and rough, so like keratosis pilaris that's found on the body, it can be amazing for. If you find that your makeup is not sitting as nicely as you would like because of texture on the skin, glycolic acid can really help with this too.
Now, glycolic acid can be very powerful, so you definitely want to start low and go slow here. I'm going to pop some different ones here on the screen that has various different percentages, and if you really want to use a higher percentage, go into a dermatology office for safety.
For dull, tired, stressed, mature, or aging skin, retinol at-home chemical peels can be fantastic. Exuviance makes a really nice retinol at-home chemical peel that comes on a pre-saturated cotton pad. It takes all the guesswork out of using this product. Cellular renewal happens best at night while we're sleeping, so I definitely recommend to use your chemical exfoliant at night. They can also make you more sensitive to the sun, so make sure that you are using a sunscreen in the morning following your chemical exfoliant. This is not the time to experiment with a new sunscreen, and because your skin is going to be a little bit more sensitive to possible irritants, using a mineral sunscreen following a chemical peel or chemical exfoliant tends to be ideal.
Okay, so you always want to start with clean and dry skin. The wash should be hydrating and gentle, something non-exfoliating and free of other actives. Definitely not the time to be using rice granules or micro beads. I also apply a thermal spring water to rehydrate and then I let that dry. Once my skin is cleansed and ready to peel, I may or may not use gloves. For like, lotions on my face, I don't use gloves. If I'm doing something a little bit more heavy-duty, like on the body to try and tighten skin post-babies, then I may put on my gloves. This is definitely not mandatory, but as someone with sensitive, eczema-prone skin that sometimes flares, so I'm extra cautious not to exfoliate my fingers, especially when I'm using stronger exfoliants, which I tend to reserve for my body.
Next, I put a protective balm on the corners of my eyes, nose, and mouth to avoid irritation. Depending on your chemical peel, you may be directed to use a spatula or a dropper. You may be applying this directly to your skin or on a cotton round, or you may be just simply swiping with a chemical pad directly to your skin. Always start with the most resistant areas of the skin first, saving the most sensitive skin for last. This gives the problematic areas more time with the exfoliant. For me, that means starting with my chin and jawline before moving to my cheeks and forehead, and finally my temples and nose, and avoid the eye area completely.
Now, depending on your chemical peel, you may or may not want to set up a timer. For my face, I'm using a leave-on product here. This is the 11% Mandelic Galactic and Telesilic Exfoliant from Allies of Skin. I love it, but it is super pricey, so let me pop an alternative, less expensive one here on the screen. For my body, I'm using the more robust Paula's Choice exfoliant, and so I'm definitely setting up a timer here. If you have a rinse-off exfoliant, make sure that you are rinsing off with cool water and follow that up with a pH-balanced cleanser to make sure that the exfoliants are no longer active on your face. Be super gentle with your skin, gently pat here with a towel or air dry. Being too aggressive right after a peel can lead to micro-traumas and irritations that can lead to hyperpigmentation. And then following your at-home chemical peel, make sure not to use other AHAs or BHAs and to nourish and protect your skin barrier with an omega-rich fatty acid moisturizer that is free from strong actives like retinols or vitamin C.
Just a few more tips. I often get asked if you can use a retinoid and exfoliant on the same night. I do not recommend this. I would say use them on alternate nights and exfoliate max one to two times weekly so that you can avoid irritation and give your skin barrier a chance to recover and repair.
Now, I definitely recommend that you use your exfoliants at nighttime and then you follow it up with a sunscreen the next morning. This is non-negotiable. I would say use a basic and boring mineral sunscreen the following day just to avoid possible irritation. I would also recommend that you avoid any activity that calls for prolonged direct sun exposure the next day or two.
Alright, my friends, go and enjoy your post-peel glow. I sincerely hope that this video helped you. Don't forget to subscribe and like the video if you did. Leave your comments down below, and until next time, be well.