The Use of Lipohydroxy Acid in Skin Care and Acne Treatment.

Lipohydroxy acid is a derivative of salicylic acid with unique properties that explain its clinical effects in the skin. Lipohydroxy acid has skin renewing, exfoliating, and acne treating properties and is a commonly used ingredient in personal skin care products. The slow penetration of lipohydroxy acid results in an individual cell-by-cell exfoliation that is associated with excellent tolerability. Lipohydroxy acid has been shown to induce dermal thickening by stimulating glycosaminoglycans, collagen, and elastin production. Finally, lipohydroxy acid has been demonstrated to possess comedolytic properties. This article reviews the available data on the use of lipohydroxy acid in treating aging skin and acne.