Chemical Exfoliants: AHA v BHA

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Lately AHA and BHA chemical exfoliants are terms that are being thrown out more and more among skin care aficionados. But what do these terms mean? And is there a difference between the two? SCS breaks down what AHA and BHA are and helps you learn more about each type. So you can find out what will work best for your skin!

Chemical Exfoliants

To begin with, AHA (which stands for Alpha hydroxy acid) and BHA (which stands for Beta hydroxy acid) are chemical exfoliants. But what are chemical exfoliants? In particular, chemical exfoliants are a type of exfoliants that utilizes chemicals to gently remove dead skin cells from your face. As well they promote the cell turnover rate of your skin. Indeed, chemical exfoliants are much more gentle on the skin than physical exfoliants. This is because they do not utilize microbeads which can cause micro tears in your skin and led to even more acne!

Notably, chemical exfoliants tend to give better results with less problems. For example, chemical exfoliants make your skin brighter, smoother, and more glowy. As well, they can get deeper into the pore than physical exfoliants can. So your skin ends up clearer and better than before. Moreover, these come in three different strengths, mild, medium, and intense. So you can curate the strength based on how sensitive your skin is. 

Similarities between AHA & BHA

Since AHA and BHA are both chemical exfoliants, they have many similarities. For instance, they both help remove dull, dead skin by helping it naturally shed off. As well the pH of both hovers around 3-4 making it good for our skin, which is slightly acidic. Moreover, these exfoliants are both hydroxy acids that help improve dull and uneven skin. As well as unclog and refine your pores to help your skin look brighter. Above all, chemical exfoliants are great at hydrating your skin and plumping it up! 

However, depending on the intensity of the AHA/BHA formula your skin can have different reactions to it. So it is always important to test out the product on a small area of skin first. Then, if your skin has no negative reaction to it, use it on the rest of your face! Additionally, it is important to always wear sunscreen during the day after using a chemical exfoliant. Because the top layer of your skin has been buffed and is more susceptible to skin damage!

AHA

To begin with, what makes an AHA chemical exfoliant different from BHA is that AHAs are water soluble. This means that AHA tend to work more on the first layer and surface of your skin. In particular, AHA best help with mild hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, as well as uneven skin texture. As well AHAs suit dry and sensitive skin extremely well since they are more gentle than BHAs. 

Notably, AHA are often derived from sugary fruits. And the most popular AHA are:

• Glycolic (derived from sugar cane)
• Lactic (derived from milk)
• Tartaric (derived from grape)
• Citric (derived from citrus)
• Mandelica (derived from almond)

So if you’re looking for a good AHA product, keep an eye out for those key ingredients! 

BHA

While AHA chemical exfoliants are water soluble, BHAs are oil soluble. This results in getting a deeper clean and exfoliation of the pore since BHA can dive deeper into the skin. Thus BHAs are often recommended to combination to oily skin types since they are so good at removing dead skin cells sebum from within your skin’s pores. As well BHA works best if you suffer from acne or sun damage. As it can clear out and refine your pores more deeply than AHA is able to.

What’s more is the most popular type of BHA is salicylic acid, which is often prescribed for acne. However, there are also some types of citric acid that are more like BHAs rather than AHAs. And BHAs can help if you suffer from rosacea or other more problematic skin issues. 

Can you use both?

Since AHA and BHA are both chemical exfoliants it can be hard to know how many times a week to use them or whether you can use both at the same time. When it comes to frequency of use, everyone’s skin is different. So if you have more sensitive skin you should stick to 1-2 times a week. However, if you skin is a little bit tougher and more oily or dry then you can even chemically exfoliate every day if it’s what your skin needs. However, you should be careful to ensure that your skin does not become too raw from over exfoliation because this can cause acne as well as damage to your skin’s moisture barrier. 

Now when it comes to whether or not you can use both at the same time the answer is yes! You may think that this would overwhelm your skin, but if you keep track of the frequency per week of use then applying AHA and BHA can be beneficial for you! Indeed, these products tend to work better together as they both increase the collagen level of your skin. But we do not advise layering AHA and BHA. This means that you should not use an AHA product and then immediately follow up with a BHA. Rather you should use them on altering days, or even use them on specific areas of your skin that need it. 

How SCS can help!

Notably, many Korean brands come out with chemical exfoliant products chock full of AHAs or BHAs. As well these products are innovative and highly effective. Additionally, many Korena skin care clinics offer facials and peels that utilize these two chemicals. So Korea is your one stop for all things related to exfoliation and skin care! However, it can be hard to navigate all the different products and skin care clinics to find the best one for you.

That’s why Seoul Cosmetic Surgery is here to help you find the best clinic and products to suit your every need. Indeed, SCS has a variety of contacts with skin care clinics so we can put you in touch with the best. As well, we have a vast array of knowledge on Korean skin care so we can even point you in the right direction for products and shops to look at. Just visit our website, seoulcosmeticsurgery.com, to learn more!