March 11, 2021 

“One of our all-time favorite blackhead-removing product categories has to be a varied collection of glycolic acid exfoliators. According to experts, our love of glycolic acid is founded on reason because the powerful skincare ingredient is basically the closest thing there is to a blackhead magic eraser,” writes Kaitlyn Mclintock in Brydie.

Thanks to glycolic acid’s superior ability to chemically exfoliate the skin, this AHA is a an excellent ingredient to unclog pores and shrink blackheads.

Blackheads are comedones, or acne lesions.

Blackheads are considered open comedones, as these small bumps are open-faced. When the melanin pigment in sebum has contact with the air in an open comedone, it oxidizes and turns black. Hence, the dark colored appearance of a blackhead.

Blackheads are most often the result of clogged pores. When dead skin cells, excess sebum, or debris become trapped within the sebaceous gland of a hair follicle a plug forms, along with the telltale bump of a blackhead.  When the skin over the bump opens, the air exposure turns the bump black.

“Blackheads are characterized by a dilated opening of a hair follicle, caused by the build-up of sebum, which is oil, P. Acnes bacteria — the primary bacteria responsible for causing acne — and inflammation,”  Shari Marchbein,  board-certified dermatologist, told Allure.

While blackheads are a very common form of acne, consumers typically find these small blemishes annoying and unappealing. Luckily, glycolic acid offers a speedy solution to tackling these small black bumps.

Glycolic acid is considered a top choice for “erasing” blackheads because it is a powerful, fast-acting chemical exfoliator.

As the smallest, lightest molecule in the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family glycolic acid is best able to penetrate the skin cell. Once applied, glycolic acid works to unclog pores by sloughing away older, dead skin cells and sebum. By sweeping out this debris, glycolic acid helps to remove the dirt, oil, and old skin cells from pores that cause blackheads.

Additionally, glycolic acid also helps to tame blackheads, as glycolic acid spurs new cells to the surface of the skin. By driving newer, healthier cells to the surface, glycolic acid can help to keep pores clearer, for longer.

Glycolic acid offers another key benefit in the battle against blackheads: disruption to bacterial cell membranes. This helps to kill Cutibacterium acnes, the bacterium linked to acne.

“In patients with acne vulgaris, glycolic acid treatment can lead to significant reductions in the number of skin lesions. Our findings support the potential of developing anti-acne formulations with glycolic acid concentrations as low as 0.2% and with pH conditions that are suitable for over-the-counter applications,” pH-Dependent Antibacterial Activity of Glycolic Acid: Implications for Anti-Acne Formulations, Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 7491

By working to disrupt and kill Cutibacterium acnes glycolic acid can help prevent blackheads and other forms of acne from forming in the first place.

Glycolic acid is a highly effective, over-the-counter ingredient to treat blackheads. By quickly and efficiently exfoliating the skin, glycolic acid can help to reduce breakouts, blemishes, and blackheads. 

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