Glycolic acid peels versus amino fruit acid peels for acne.
BACKGROUND
Chemical exfoliation resulting in the reduction of keratotic plugs serves as a second-line treatment used as an adjunct to anti-acne agents. This study was designed to compare the therapeutic effects of glycolic acid (GA) peels and amino fruit acid (AFA) peels in patients with acne vulgaris.


METHODS
In this single-blind, randomized, right-left comparison study, 24 patients received 12 serial peels (GA and AFA, at concentrations from the lowest to the highest) on the two halves of the face at 2-week intervals for 6 months. In addition, cutaneous tolerability assessments during the applications and the patient preference test between both peeling methods at the end of the study were performed.


RESULTS
There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of non-inflamed lesions with GA following the first month and with AFA following the second month (p < 0.05). The decrease in the number of inflamed lesions was statistically significant with GA at the end of the fifth and sixth months and with AFA only at the end of the fifth month (p < 0.05). When the two applications were compared with each other, there was not a statistically significant difference in terms of non-inflamed and inflamed lesions (p > 0.05). During the application, it was observed that AFA peels caused fewer problems than GA peels did. AFA concentrations were increased more rapidly and more sessions were performed at the highest concentration of AFA.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of this study, we can state that both GA and AFA peels are efficacious for comedonal acne. And, compared to a GA peel, an AFA peel is less irritating and better tolerated.
Ilknur
Turna
T
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. turna.ilknur@deu.edu.tr
Demirtaşoğlu
Melda
M
Biçak
Mehtap Unlü
MU
Ozkan
Sebnem
S
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D005145:Face; D005638:Fruit; D006016:Glycolates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010781:Photography; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D000596:Amino Acids; D006016:Glycolates; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; C031149:glycolic acid