Think sugar cane, apples, citrus, wine and sour milk to name a few.  With the exception of the sour milk, one might be recollecting Grandma’s luscious apple pie as well as the satisfying fond memories from family gatherings of days gone by.  Fast-forward to now.  Same natural ingredients, but formulated into skin care products.  

 Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) in skin care products are naturally sourced from the same ingredients:  sugar cane (glycolic acid), apples (malic acid), citrus (citric acid), wine (tartaric acid) and sour milk (lactic acid).
 
While AHAs have been used in skincare for the past 30 years, until recently it wasn’t clearly understood how they actually made the skin flake away, exposing fresh new skin.  A collaborative study released this month from U.C. Davis and Peking University finally explains how they actually work through a series of experiments using electrical current on AHA-exposed cultured cells.
 
As the AHAs enter the keratinocytes, free protons are generated and the pH of the cell lowers and becomes acidic.  This activates within the cell membrane a cellular pathway with an ion channel (receptor), which then allows calcium ions to flow into the cell.  The resulting calcium overload causes the skin cells to slough off, which exposes fresh new cells underneath.
 
The result:  gently resurfaced, smooth-textured, healthier skin.
 
If you’re ready to rejuvenate your skin and need help choosing an AHA which is appropriate for your skin, please email, call or make an appointment.

Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reproduced or copied without the express written permission of Skintique.com. This article is provided for informational purpose only and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for such advice from your physician.