Alpha hydroxy and polyhydroxy acids (AHA and PHA) are recently gaining popularity due to their excellent moisturizing and antioxidant properties. These compounds are precious in terms of both cosmetic and dermatological treatments.

The present study assessed the moisturizing properties of lactobionic and lactic acids based on available literature. It observed:

• Alpha AHAs and PHAs structure enables them to bind to large amounts of water and act as potent antioxidant agents by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases and having strong chelating properties.
• They also maintain epidermal barrier integrity when applying lactic acid (LAC) and lactobionic acid (LA) and, thus, render a potential opportunity to use them on sensitive skin types, including couperose skin.

Source: Algiert-ZieliÅ„ska B, Mucha P, Rotsztejn H. Lactic and lactobionic acids as typically moisturizing compounds. Int J Dermatol. 2019;58(3):374-9.