Lactic acid for skin care could help you have a smoother, brighter complexion. It is a mild alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that lets you eliminate unwanted dead skin cells, lighten dark spots, and improve the skin texture and look of wrinkles on all skin types, including sensitive skin.
Lactic acid is used in numerous skincare products and professional beautician treatments. It’s also found in many products applied topically, as well as treatments for eczema and psoriasis.
Some say lactic acid irritates their skin or could cause unwanted side effects. If you plan to include Lactic Acid in your skincare routine, ask your dermatologist to see if products containing it are right for you.
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What Is Lactic Acid?
Lactic acid is among the most popular AHAs available. It is a commonly used ingredient in over-the-counter skin care products and stronger professional peels and treatments for glowing texture-free skin.
Lactic acid naturally occurs in dairy products. It is the only acid that gives yogurt and sour milk a distinctive tangy taste. People around the world have used dairy products for ages to soften and beautify their skin.
People still take milk baths today, especially in India and other countries, but most people use lactic acid in skin care products and peels today (synthetic).
Benefits on Skin
Lactic acid supports healthy, smooth, bump-free skin by increasing cell turnover faster.
It also helps to increase your skin’s built-in process for increasing skin hydration (natural moisturizer). Hence, it gives you a brighter complexion and softer and smoother skin.
It is also an antioxidant. This is important for maintaining skin health because its antioxidant property helps to minimize the effects of heavy metals found in water, which could damage your skin.
While more research is needed to know how lactic acid boosts skin health, the following are some of the benefits of using this AHA as per the experts:
- Boost collagen to prevent wrinkles
- Helpful in clearing pore
- Acts as an effective antimicrobial
- Balance skin hydration
- Beneficial for clear skin or prevent acne
- Decrease dark patches from acne, freckles, sunspots, age spots, and hyperpigmentation.
- Additionally, things that contain lactic acid have been shown to improve these skin conditions:
Psoriasis: Lactic acid can soften the skin and also remove scales.
Eczema: Lactic acid reduces itching caused by eczema and repairs your skin’s barrier.
Side Effects of Lactic Acid
Even though lactic acid is gentler than other AHAs, it is still considered an intense treatment. Look for a few possible side effects of using lactic acid on your skin.
Sun Sensitivity
You should be well aware of lactic acid, as it can increase skin sensitivity to the sun. The acid increases cell turnover and sloughs away dead skin cells, which can cause your skin to be damaged by ultraviolet light from the sun.
Some research has shown that this sun sensitivity could last for weeks after one stops using products containing lactic acid or peel treatments.
Use SPF 30 or higher sunscreen regularly to shield your skin from sunburn or damage. Remember to use it even on cloudy days. If you don’t protect your skin, you could do more harm than to your skin and cannot reap the actual benefits of lactic acid, like its ability to lighten dark spots and soften wrinkles.
Irritation of the skin
Please look for the following while using Lactic acid:
- • Redness
- • Itchy skin
- • Mild peeling
- • Burning
- • Dryness
- • Swelling
When you first start using Lactic acid, you may have mild redness, burning, and itching. As long as it does not affect your daily activities and goes away within an hour or so, you should not worry about it.
However, if the redness, burning, and itching do not subside and are moderate to severe, or if you get swelling or a rash, wash off the product immediately and do not use it again. Please call your healthcare provider for suggestions on what to do for your skin.
Avoid Use of Lactic Acid If you have:-
Even Lactic acid is the gentlest of all alpha hydroxy acids. Most people can use it safely; however, some should avoid using lactic acid products.
Lactic acid can irritate people with skin sensitivity. Introduce a product that has a small percentage of lactic acid (e.g., 2.5%) and look for any signs of irritation or redness. If your skin reacts and you notice any irritation, stop using the product.
Make sure, if you use topical retinoids like Retin-A or tretinoin, it’s better not to add lactic acid to your skincare routine as these products already exfoliate your skin.
Ways to Introduce Lactic Acid on the Skin
Over-the-counter (OTC) products that contain Lactic acid come in various concentrations up to 10%.
A higher concentration is available via professional treatments, but keep in mind that higher is not always better, as more concentrated products can irritate and cause irreparable damage to your skin.
Lactic acid is gentler and is considered safe at lower concentrations. It would be better to start with a product that has about 5% lactic acid.
First, use this acid once a week, then twice a week, and finally, regular usage as long as your skin can handle it.
After using for few months, you can increase the concentration of lactic acid and the buildup higher concentration of Lactic acid in your skin.
To see evident results on your skin, you need to use it for a few months consistently .
Types of products with lactic acid include:
Skin Cleansers:
Using them every night is an ideal choice for sensitive skin because you can rinse them off with water.
Moisturizers:
Dab these at night rather than during the day to minimize sun damage. But you still need to apply sunscreen every morning.
At-home masks and peels:
Depending on the concentration of the product, masks and peels can be used once or thrice weekly.
Lactic acid peels:
These are used professionally, such as at a Cosmetic surgeon’s office, a dermatologist, or a spa. These professionals use higher concentrations of lactic acid and are a better choice if you have a specific problem that needs to be addressed by professionals, such as dark spots, sun spots, or acne marks.
All In All
Lactic Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that removes dead skin cells, helps fade dark acne spots, and smooths fine lines and wrinkles of your skin.
It is available mainly in different strengths and sizes of OTC cleansers, lotions, and at-home masks. You could also get professional peels at a salon, spa, or dermatologist’s office.
Remember, you should start with a lower product concentration, especially for individuals with sensitive skin. While using this acid, include sunscreen, as lactic acid could make your skin more prone to sunburn.
