JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE December 2016 New Year issue | Page 55

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Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) and Beta Hydroxy
Acids - Alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids are
acid "skin peels" marketed as a way to remove wrinkles,
blemishes, blotches and acne scars. With their use, "the
skin reddens like a sunburn, then darkens and peels away
supposedly leaving 'new' skin", according to the US Food
and Drug Administration. Beta hydroxy acid is preferred
for oily skin. These skin peels enjoy widespread
popularity. The Environmental Working Group found
they were added to one out of every 17 personal care
products on the US market. They can be found in skin
care products ranging from moisturizers and cleansers to
eye creams and sunscreen. The FDA estimates that they
injure 1,000 Americans every year by burning the skin.
The FDA is also concerned that they contribute to UV
skin damage and may raise the risk of skin cancer. In
Canada, the Health Canada Cosmetic Hotlist allows
concentrations of less than 10% in personal care products,
but higher concentrations are allowed for professional
use. Health Canada also requires cautionary warnings on
leave-on products containing AHA when the
concentrations are above 3%.
Aluminum - Aluminum compounds are the active
ingredients in antiperspirants. By temporarily plugging
the sweat ducts, they stop sweat coming to the skin's
surface. A 2005 British study, published in the Journal of
Inorganic Biochemistry, found that aluminum-based
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