Summary of Mandelic Acid for the Improvement of Skin Conditions

Mandelic acid has been used in medicine for many years as a urinary antiseptic. Methenamine mandelate (Mandelamine®, Parke-Davis, Morris Plains, NJ) has the urinary antiseptic action of both methenamine and mandelic acid. In concentrations of 35g to 50g/100L of urine, it inhibits Staphylococcus aureus, bacillus proteus, escher ichia col i , and aerobacter aerogenes. Chemically, mandelic acid has a structure similar to that of other well-known antibiotics.4 It is a nontoxic substance that, after being ingested orally, is excreted in the urine. The author’s interest in mandelic acid stems from its dual nature as an AHA with both potential cosmeceutical activity and well-established antibacterial activity.The earliest trials with mandelic acid had two aims: to determine whether it can produce antiaging effects on the skin similar to those produced by glycolic acid, and to assess the antibacterial action of mandelic acid in treating acne and preventing gram-negative bacterial infections after laser resurfacing. ver the past 3 years, mandelic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) named after the German mandel (“almond”) and derived from the hydrolysis of an extract of bitter almonds,1 has been studied extensively for its possible uses in treating common skin problems such as photoaging, irregular pigmentation, and acne. An open-trial investigation conducted at the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, has shown that mandelic acid is useful in suppressing pigmentation, treating inf lammatory noncystic acne, and rejuvenating photoaged skin. Moreover, it has proven useful in preparing the skin for laser peeling and in helping the skin heal after laser surgery. This article discusses the characteristics of mandelic acid, its efficacy in the treatment of wrinkles, pigmentation, and acne, and its role in recovery following laser surgery.