Glycolic acid pads are an extreme method of applying the glycolic acid treatment to the patient’s skin. Glycolic acid treatment has become somewhat controversial, in that the chemical and skin care industry and the government which regulates it cannot agree on the safe level of concentration. The government has deemed that any concentration of glycolic acid over 10% in a skin care product is hazardous. The skin care industry does not agree, and many claim that products which comply with the government’s safe level do not have enough strength to even work. This controversy is definitely affecting glycolic acid pads, which are nearly always at a greater strength than this, while still not as strong a concentration as a glycolic acid chemical peel.
The use of a pad, as opposed to the use of a lotion or a cream, has one obvious advantage, as well as a potential great disadvantage. The main benefit of using a pad is that there is no severe rubbing on the skin. If the skin is severely aggravated, or inflamed, this might well be an important factor in reducing the amount of pain the sufferer will feel. However, in the case of a severely affected skin, there is almost certainly the need for professional help, possibly even a chemical peel. The obvious disadvantage of using a pad is that there is no manual action to rub the acid into the skin.
This lack of a rubbing action will mean that a smaller quantity of the compound will be absorbed into the skin than if a lotion or cream had been applied. This is why the pads which are sold by smaller businesses will tend to be at a higher concentration than the lotions or creams. Most of the larger chemical manufacturers are still very reluctant to produce any product with a greater than 10% concentration, because they are concerned about potential lawsuits. They know how much influence the government’s opinion may have on the outcome of any court case.
The way glycolic acid treatment is carried out with a pad is very similar to the way it is carried out with lotions or creams. The pad is laid on the skin, and then left there for a period of time to allow the glycolic acid to sink into the skin. When the active ingredient has been absorbed, it will have the effect of binding with the dead skin which needs to be removed. The pad can be left on the skin for an extended period of time, allowing the acid a longer time in which to be absorbed.
Eventually, the chemical can be removed by washing. The effect of this will not be as noticeable as it would have been with a cream or lotion, but it will still happen. Use plenty of water, as the skin must not be allowed to become dry. It is a good idea to use another chemical from the alpha hydroxy group to moisturize the skin, as these compounds will also have a neutralizing affect on any remaining acid. The most obvious people to benefit from the use of a pad are people with sore skin, for whom rubbing would be a problem. The chemical can be absorbed into the skin far more gradually, and this is the most common reason for applying glycolic acid pads.
