Glycolic acid is commonly used to exfoliate skin, but body skin behaves differently to facial skin. The outer layer of body skin is typically thicker, slower to shed dead cells, and more prone to keratin build up around hair follicles. This is why products designed for the face often underperform when used on the body.
To understand whether glycolic acid is appropriate for body use, it is important to understand how it works, how body skin responds, and where it should not be applied. When used correctly, glycolic acid can help improve body skin texture. When used incorrectly, it can cause irritation or stalled results.
For a complete body specific overview, including what works and why many products fail, see this guide on glycolic acid for the body.
