Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skin care routine.
Take The Skin Quiz
Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are the new and improved cousins of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). They work as chemical exfoliants, and are therefore useful in skincare. They work slowly, which makes them fairly mild. People with sensitive skin can use PHAs without any problem.
PHAs remove dead skin cells from the uppermost layers of skin to reveal soft, bright skin. If you have dull, tired-looking skin, PHAs are the right ingredient for you. They also have antioxidants that protect the skin from UV damage, and make the skin’s barrier stronger. PHA protects collagen from breaking down, which keeps your skin looking younger for longer.
They are mild, so they work slowly – which may not be what you want. PHAs are exfoliants, so be careful when you start using them, especially if your skin is sensitive or damaged. Skin that reacts to new products may find PHAs irritating, mild as they are. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with skin infections or open wounds should avoid using PHAs.
Age spots on your skin is known as hyperpigmentation, dark spots, or liver spots. There are several reasons you might experience hyperpigmentation, but those we are referring to here are those that are caused by acne scarring or sun exposure. Age spots are most common on the face, the shoulders, and the back. There are some age spots that might appear as a side effect of certain medications. Age spots are typically harmless, but we always recommend conferring with your dermatologist if you’re experiencing a larger-than-usual area of age spots, or if they are changing in color, thickness, or appearance in any way.
To prevent age spots, it’s best to moisturize daily and wear sunscreen. Additionally, antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals that damage cells and speed up aging. Ingredients and nutrients like vitamin C, acai oil, jojoba oil, alpha-lipoic acid, green tea extract, retinol/vitamin A, coenzyme Q10, caffeine, alpha-hydroxy acid and salicylic acid are all beneficial for preventing and reducing age spots. Hydrolyzed is also good for restoring the overall vitality of the skin.
PHA may be effective for age spots, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
Next: Does Eucalyptus work on dullness ?