Glycolic acid

• Glycolic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from sugar cane, is commonly found in cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers and skin treatments designed to produce more smooth and youthful skin. Over-the-counter skin-care products containing glycolic acid are generally safe to use during pregnancy and may be specially suited to treat some pregnancy-related skin problems.

• Glycolic acid functions primarily as an exfoliant. It penetrates the dead, damaged cells on the skin’s surface and loosens the glue-like structures that bind this dead skin to the rest of the epidermis (topmost layer of skin). This allows the dead cells to slough off, revealing fresher skin cells. The result is smoother, more youthful-looking skin. Glycolic acid also draws moisture to the newly exfoliated skin, giving the added bonus of moisturization.

References

Source: Thorn, Shannon; “Glycolic Acid while Pregnant”, 28 Jan 2014, www.livestrong.com/article/92954-glycolic-acid-pregnant/