How Does Aha Work? Did I Have A Bad Reaction To It?! Experienced Users Please Reply!

[justsomeguy44 3]

Okay so two or three days ago, I used AHA for the first time in my Neutrogena healthy skin lotion.

I just dabbed a pea size amount around my face and went to bed. It definitely was not enough to moisturize, but I wasn't intending for that.

The next morning my face was bright red, and I had discolored, dark skin around my mouth. This was what happened when the dry, peeling redness from the BP started (in my earlier weeks)

My tolerance to BP is built up to the full amount, but I dont know why AHA was so irritating to me. It was no doubt, a chemical burn..

BUT, this chemical burn began to peel, and as my skin started flaking horribly, the flakes from some of my dark (red) marks came off with it, revealing a clean new layer of skin underneath! Which is GREAT.

I'm just afraid to use AHA again in fear of another burn around my mouth (which makes it hard to move my mouth until the flakes all come off)

I dont know if this is how it's supposed to work or not. Experienced Regimen users please!! What should I do?

[AyeAye 887]

I remember this happening to me when I first started using it (its amazing how these posts jog the memory). My skin turned a deep red around the crease marks between my mouth and cheeks and then it got quite peely. I just waited 3 days and then put the AHA on again mixed in with Dan's moisturiser, but like you I only used a tiny bit (more moisturiser than AHA). It wasnt until the 3rd or 4th application (so after a couple of weeks) that I really started noticing a difference to the texture of my skin. Once it stopped going red in the crease marks, I started upping the number of applications and the amount of AHA i used. Now I use it every night by itself and its a god send.

So my advice to you is keep at it. If you can stand the appearance of flakes and redness then keep going. I think this regimen in the early months is two steps forward and one back. Once you're accustomed to the AHA+ it will make such a huge difference to the dryness of your skin once you're using the full amount.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[justsomeguy44 3]

I remember this happening to me when I first started using it (its amazing how these posts jog the memory). My skin turned a deep red around the crease marks between my mouth and cheeks and then it got quite peely. I just waited 3 days and then put the AHA on again mixed in with Dan's moisturiser, but like you I only used a tiny bit (more moisturiser than AHA). It wasnt until the 3rd or 4th application (so after a couple of weeks) that I really started noticing a difference to the texture of my skin. Once it stopped going red in the crease marks, I started upping the number of applications and the amount of AHA i used. Now I use it every night by itself and its a god send.

So my advice to you is keep at it. If you can stand the appearance of flakes and redness then keep going. I think this regimen in the early months is two steps forward and one back. Once you're accustomed to the AHA+ it will make such a huge difference to the dryness of your skin once you're using the full amount.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thank you!! I really appreciate your advise. I'm going to try it again tomorrow night and maybe just lightly spot treat with this mixed with regular moisturizer!!

Thank god that some Regimen veterans stick around these boards. I know I sure will, whether it works or not.

[rush25 47]

I had the same reaction with Alpha Hydrox AHA Enhanced Lotion. It was just...awful. Red, irritated, sore. I started using Dan's AHA+ a few weeks later with much better results. During the first few days, my face was a bit irritated from the AHA+, but nothing too bad. Now I've been using it every night after BP for the past few years. It's a fantastic product. I can't say enough good things about it.