Glycolic Acid vs. Salicylic Acid: Dermatologists Explain the Difference

The idea of using skincare acids may sound harsh at first, but salicylic and glycolic acids can work wonders for your skin, so you may just want to give them a chance. Both are excellent exfoliants, but you may use them for different reasons. Glycolic acid works great on the surface, helping with dryness, removing dead skin cells, fading fine lines, and improving skin radiance. Salicylic acid, on the other hand, helps unclog pores, reduce oil production, and treat acne. Some people even use both, depending on their skin’s needs. Read on to learn more about glycolic and salicylic acids, from their differences to their benefits and how to best incorporate them into your skincare routine.

Meet the Experts

Lori Aliksanian, MD, is a board-certified physician and founder of MedBeautyLA.

Dendy Engelman, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Shafer Clinic.

Melanie Palm, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon at Art of Skin MD.

What is Glycolic Acid?

“Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a group of natural acids from plant and animal sources that are commonly used to treat skin problems like acne, dryness, and aging skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Melanie Palm, MD. “As you age, your natural cell cycle slows down and dead skin cells build up, making your complexion look [dull]. She says you can use glycolic acid to exfoliate your skin to remove the top layer of dead skin cells and allow your skin to form new skin cells.

Glycolic acid is a light, gentle chemical peel, says board-certified physician Lori Aliksanian, MD. “It brightens the skin, helps remove surface pigment from sun damage, and reduces the appearance of fine lines,” she says.

What is salicylic acid?

“Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that has been used in chemical exfoliants for over 2,000 years,” says Aliksanian. “Topical preparations can be naturally derived from willow bark or chemically prepared.” Board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD It works within the pores to slough off the top layer of skin and prevent them from getting clogged, adds Engman.

Benefits and Uses

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid has many potential benefits, including some of the following:

Helps with dryness: Glycolic acid can help eliminate dry, flaky skin, giving you a smoother complexion.

Evens out and brightens skin tone: Glycolic acid’s exfoliating properties mean it helps reduce uneven skin tone and improves brightness and radiance.

Reduces the appearance of fine lines: Because of the increased cell turnover when using glycolic acid, you may notice that signs of aging, including fine lines, become less noticeable.

Reduces dark spots and hyperpigmentation: “It can also improve hyperpigmentation and lighten dark spots,” says Engman.

Salicylic Acid

Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid has many skincare benefits:

Clears skin and opens pores: “Salicylic acid is often used to gently exfoliate the skin, open pores, remove dead cells, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. cells and treat acne,” Engelman says.

Even skin tone and texture: Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and has a brightening effect, Engelman says.

Regulate oil production: If you have acne-prone skin, salicylic acid can help improve skin conditions over time and treat current breakouts because it regulates excess sebum production, according to Engelman.

Which skin type should use which?

Glycolic acid

Glycolic acid is a good choice for people with normal, combination, and oily skin. It’s generally well tolerated, but it may cause irritation for people with sensitive skin. When you first use glycolic acid, it’s normal for your skin to adjust to the new skin and become a little itchy or irritated.

“Those with acne-prone or dull skin are more likely to benefit from incorporating glycolic acid into their skincare routine,” Palm says. “People with psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, or sensitive skin may find glycolic acid too irritating. For this reason, I always recommend testing a new ingredient or product on one area of your skin before applying it to your face or body. ”

Salicylic acid

Salicylates are generally safe for all skin types, but are best suited for oily, acne-prone skin. This is due to their ability to open pores, balance sebum production, and reduce breakouts. Salicylic acid can sometimes cause irritation in people with particularly dry or sensitive skin, or those who are prone to eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.

“As with any other exfoliant, people with sensitive or extremely dry skin should start slowly with a low-strength product to see how their skin tolerates it,” says Aliksanian. Additionally, Palm emphasizes that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, always consult your doctor before using a product containing salicylic acid.

Possible Side Effects and Precautions

Glycolic Acid

The most common side effects when using glycolic acid include mild irritation, mild itching, and tenderness.1 Typically, these reactions subside after using the product a few times. “If you experience more side effects than this, glycolic acid may not be for you,” Palm says. As with trying any new skin-care product, it’s important to slowly introduce glycolic acid into your skin-care routine to see how your skin responds.

“Glycolic acid gently removes the top layer of dead skin cells, so be gentle with newly exfoliated skin,” Aliksanian says. “People who use retinol should be careful when using glycolic acid because their skin is already exfoliated, and to avoid irritation, Engelman recommends alternating between retinol and glycolic acid.” “If you want to use both products at the same time, use the retinol in the evening and the glycolic acid in the morning,” she says.

Protecting your skin from the sun is also a must. “Glycolic acid makes your skin more sensitive to light, so it’s important to carefully apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day and stay out of the sun as much as possible,” says Palm.

Salicylic Acid

Similar to glycolic acid, side effects like dry skin, irritation, redness, or itching may occur as your skin adjusts to using salicylic acid. According to Aliksanian, thoroughly moisturizing your skin after a salicylic acid peel can minimize these side effects. “If you have extremely sensitive skin, you may want to try adding salicylic acid to your moisturizer or using it at a lower concentration,” says Engelman. If side effects get worse, she recommends contacting your dermatologist.

Salicylic acid can increase your sensitivity to the sun, so it’s important to apply an SPF of 30 or higher every day, even on cloudy days. “In addition to being careful with your SPF, I don’t recommend using salicylic acid treatments more than three times a week because it can cause irritation and compromise the skin barrier,” adds Palm. “Keep in mind that the type of product you use is also important. Serums and toners may have higher concentrations of salicylic acid than cleansers.” You should also avoid salicylic acid if you’re allergic to aspirin, as the acid is in the aspirin family. 2

Can you mix glycolic and salicylic acid?

In general, the combination of glycolic and salicylic acid is safe—just watch your skin’s reaction and don’t overdose. “If your skin can tolerate it, the combination of glycolic and salicylic acid can be a powerful combo to reduce and treat acne while exfoliating and mattifying the skin,” says Palm. “However, keep in mind that you’re using two exfoliating ingredients at the same time, so you may experience more irritation, dryness, and redness than usual.”

If you want to combine the two, remember to start slowly. She recommends using only once or twice a week to see how your skin reacts, rather than using both acids every day.

Final Verdict

Both glycolic and salicylic acid have impressive benefits, and if your skin responds well to either product, you can even incorporate both into your routine. As with any product, both acids have some potential side effects, so it’s best to consult a dermatologist before trying them, especially if you have sensitive skin or conditions like rosacea and eczema. Start slowly, and consult your doctor if any worrisome reactions occur. Overall, however, both products are safe to use on a variety of skin types and can produce dramatic results for tone and texture, acne, anti-aging, and more.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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