Acid peels help acne go away

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acid peels are very effective in treating mild to moderate facial acne, U.S. researchers said.

The study, published in Dermatologic Surgery, found both types of chemical peels significantly reduced acne lesions within two weeks of the first treatment, and patients continued to see a reduction in lesions through the first follow-up visit a month after the treatments.

"This is good news for the millions of Americans who suffer from mild to moderately severe facial acne," Dr. Dee Anna Glaser of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine said in a statement. "This provides more options for patients and doctors to chose from when it comes to tailoring a treatment program for each individual."

The study involved mild/moderate acne patients with an average age of 24 years -- 13 women and seven men -- treated every other week with a treatment involving the application of alpha-hydroxy acid to one side of the face and beta-hydroxy acid to the other side.

Neither the patient nor the evaluator was aware which acid went where. The beta-hydroxy acid peels had slightly fewer side effects and the results lasted slightly longer than the alpha-hydroxy acid peels.