Beauty & Grooming  Discussion Forum

hiya! thanks a lot for your useful advice on protecting my skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun!

earlier on, i mentioned i had very fair skin and would like to retain it. hence, you suggested glycolic and retinoic formulas.. do i find these elements in a sun-block or a moisturiser?

secondly, i paid a visit to my local drugstore inorder to find creams containing any of the two formulas. i came across 'Retinol' but this specifically aimed to combat wrinkles. is this the same formula used to rejuvenate skin and increase collagen? (for lighter and tighter skin)

thanks soooo much for your help ! your a star :D

Jo Prabhu replied. I think I want to explain the technical aspects of these products so you can understand what they do. You will not find AHA or GA in any Sunscreen or Sunblock because they could counteract the effect. You should ALWAYS use Sun block after washing your face and over your moisturizer and UNDER your makeup.

Any AHA or RA or BHA you use for skin treatments should only be done before you go to bed at night.

If you want to retain your fair skin then you will need to think about non-invasive procedures called cell turnover accelerators, alpha hydroxy acids or AHA, beta hydroxy acids or BHA and retinoids can be named. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids or AHA is a compound found naturally in many common fruits such as pineapple, berries, grape, sugar cane. Among them glycolic acid, found in sugar cane and sugar beets, have been used more prominently in cosmetics. AHA main action is to accelerate shedding of skin cells in the topmost layers of the skin by decreasing their cohesiveness. Continued use of glycolic-acid-based products may result in a smoother epidermis and to some extent elimination of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). In doing so AHA generally can enhance the penetration of other agents and nutrients such as Vitamin C, Zinc, amino acids, essential fatty acids and ceramids. Simultaneously Glycolic acid helps to restore the barrier function of the skin, thereby increasing tissue own moisture content. There are evidences that suggest increase in collagen production in dermis layer with use of AHA. Glycolic acid can make the skin more sensitive to the effects of the sun’s UV rays; therefore use of effective sunscreen is essential. The answer is pH and concentration of AHA determine success of glycolic acid products.

Beta hydroxy acids are another group of cell turnover accelerators which are derivative of aspirin and naturally can be found in willow bark. The most well-known BHA is salicylic acid. Some authors claim that BHA's are stronger exfoliants than AHA's and interestingly more gentle to the skin. Salicylic acid is also pore-clearing and can help with treatment of blackheads and comedone clearance. Use of BHA's overall produce a somewhat smoother skin.

Retinoids are derived from Vitamin A. Retinoids could be found in alcohol form (retinol) or acid form ( retinoic acid). Unlike their close structures, retinol and retinoic acid seem to act very differently on epidermal tissue. Retinol by helping to restore the barrier function of the skin is very hydrating to the skin. On the contrary, retinoic acid is very drying and irritating to the skin. Keratolytic effect of retinoic acid is different from that of retinol. Retinoic acid causes desquamation of skin tissue, so dead cells get separated more readily (smoother skin ). It also appear to help collagen synthesis (firmer skin and fewer wrinkles), as well as redistribution of melanin (skin pigment) by which even-tone the skin.

So to answer your question, retinoic acid is the product you will need to use on your skin to obtain the results you are looking for.

Hope this helps.