How to dilute glycolic acid is a question that has to be learned in order to use the right concentration of the acid so that you get the desired benefits and prevent any harm to the treated area. This fruit acid should be diluted significantly and you have to learn how to dilute it before using.
Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that is found naturally in sugar cane and in other fruits and vegetables. It is widely in use since the last two or more decades, and its presence in any skin care product is considered enough to gain users’ confidence. For commercial use, glycolic acid is produced synthetically. For a chemical peel, about 70% concentration of glycolic acid is available but such strength could prove too strong or harsh for the skin and you shouldn’t try at home unless you dilute it adequately.
Diluting Glycolic Acid
Reducing the strength of this acid for cosmetic use is not a big deal. How much should it be diluted, depends on the type of skin you have and on the goal you intend to achieve. You can go for a 50% dilution, or 100% dilution, or even 25% dilution, it depends on what you have to gain with the treatment. Since you can’t use a concentrated acid, you have to make it less harsh in order to gain the benefits of the treatment and to prevent any undesirable consequences from harming the skin.
You should first know what type of skin you have. If you are known to have a sensitive type of skin, then you should always go for the lower strengths, which could be increased gradually if you find it is accepting the lower strengths. If you don’t think that increasing the strength would be good, then keep working with lower strengths and though the results won’t be dramatic in a short time, you will definitely get them after a while.
If you have a normal type of skin, it is still a good idea to start from the lower concentrations and increase the strength gradually. This sort of safer approach to treat any kind of skin flaws or just to keep the skin healthy is a rational way of dealing with the delicate parts of your body.
You should never do the mistake which many overenthusiastic people do, that is, the temptation to achieve dramatic results in a short time makes them overdo the treatment.
How to Dilute Glycolic Acid before Use
As said earlier, you will have the choice to dilute the acid according to the treating conditions. Let’s say you want to dilute this cosmetic acid with equal parts of water.
Just you have to take about 100 ml of concentrated glycolic acid and mix it with 100 ml of pure cold water, by putting both liquids in a bowl and stirring the content thoroughly you ensure you are getting a properly mixed solution. Yes, that is as simple as this. The only think you should do is to know what concentration is required, so that the quantity of water should be increased or decreased accordingly.
Other Considerations
Whatever solution is made after the dilution, you should conduct a spot test on the skin before you continue with the treatment. This is necessary since not only the concentration but also the acid itself can react when applied to the skin and you may find your skin going through severe reactions. You can’t tolerate it to happen on your face. Therefore, taking all the precautions is a rational way of doing any cosmetic treatment where delicate and more visible parts of the body are involved.
Another thing that you should keep in mind is protecting the skin after the treatment. No matter what concentration is used, the skin becomes more sensitive to the sun and it could be damaged if not protected by wearing a sunscreen.
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