Beta hydroxycarboxylic acid

What are we avoiding while our skin barrier is recovering from a skincare perspective?

The main ones you want to remember are your retinol, any AHAs or BHAs, so salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, peel pads, scrubs, acne spot treatments, acne skincare, prescription topicals you want to avoid.

I would even say depending on the downtime of the treatment, like if it was a cool peel, no vitamin C, no niacinamide, wait a few days because those can be kind of tangy on the skin.

Mm-hmm.

What is the precise weapon of choice, and how does it work?

For congestion, your gold standard is salicylic acid, which is a beta hydroxy acid, or BHA.

The mechanism of action is what makes it special.

How is it different from other acids?

And the Western approach to this for the last two decades has been aggressive chemical exfoliation.

To force the turnover, people use high concentrations of alpha hydroxy acids, AHAs, or beta hydroxy acids, BHAs, to dissolve the glue holding those dead cells together.

Which feels great for about three days.

You look incredibly smooth.

Apply your GHKCU copper peptide serum as directed by the product manufacturer.

Some cosmetic formulations use copper peptides to condition the skin and improve the appearance of textures and smoothness alternate nights rotate your products by using your copper peptides serum one night and your retinol the next night strong direct acids AHAs and BHAs AHAs and BHAs are exfoliating ingredients used in various cosmetic formulations to help improve the appearance and texture of the skin.

Some products containing these ingredients may fall under different regulatory requirements depending on their composition and claims.

Strong direct acids, including some AHAs and BHAs, may not be compatible with every copper peptide formulation because product formulations vary.

Follow the manufacturer's directions and consider separating products if recommended.

Pro tip, if you accidentally use an acidic toner before your copper peptide, don't worry.

So salicylic is in a lot of products that treat, um, breakouts and oily skin.

That's pretty much the only BHA you will see used.

This is oil soluble, and that just sounds like science-y stuff, which it is, but what it means is it can also, in addition to what AHAs do, go into your little oil pores, your sebum, your open pores, and kind of wash them out like a little tidal wave.

Well, suck it out, like [whooshes].

Mm.

I don't know why in my head, but, like, a child has dug a sand, like, thing, and then the water comes and goes like that.

BHAs are specifically good for blackheads and whiteheads, congested skin, clogged pores, excess oil, breakouts and acne, and uneven texture.

They're often combined because they are friends.

And so did you just spend $90 on a serum or a lotion that is correcting something you don't even have? I think that's probably the biggest problem.

But certainly, I saw patients in the clinic who got into using retinol and AHAs and BHAs and physical exfoliants, and they're coming in with perioral dermatitis, periorbital dermatitis, eczema flares.

So we did see, even in our clinic in Idaho, damage from this trend.

Interesting.

So we talked a little bit about retinoids or retinols in teenagers and how with acne, that may be a good option.

Usually best when provided by a dermatologist or at the recommendation of a dermatology provider.

What about AHAs and BHAs that kids are buying maybe unnecessarily? Yeah.

I think in many cases, the AHAs are probably not necessary.

And the most common one that we know is salicylic acid.

Okay, that's also known as BHAs.

The BHA you hear most frequently about is, in professional skincare, is the salicylic acid.

And unlike alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid is oil soluble.

So your chemical pill appointment is only one part of the corrective process.

your home care routine, it can significantly influence your results and your risk of complications.

So before a chemical peel, your provider may have you temporarily discontinue ingredients such as your retinoids, strong exfoliating acids, you know, your AHAs, your BHAs that we discussed earlier, certain acne products, scrubs, and other potentially irritating ingredients.

So after the peel, the routine usually becomes very simple.

The three-night, the three-night acne cycle, night one, exfoliate.

Use a salicylic acid, BHA, product to penetrate and clear out your pores.

Because BHAs are oil-soluble, they are ideal for oily, blle- blemish-prone skin.

Night two, retinol.

Apply a retinoid, like adapalene, tretinoin, or a gentle over-the-counter retinol, to promote cellular turnover and prevent dead skin from clogging pores.