Alpha Hydroxy Acids in the Cosmetic Treatment of Photo-induced Skin Ageing

---------------Synopsis The continuous adverse effects of light of over the years add to normai ageing processes. This increases the number and severity of wrinkles, reduces the efficiency of celi mechanisms responsible for the reparation of damaged genes due to UV rays in photo-exposed areas, causes actinic keratosis, slows down epidermic celi turnover and reduces surface lipids, the moisture leve! and, as a result, the suppleness of the skin. The noticeable adverse effects generally decrease with the use of retinoic acid-based drugs or cosmetic-based products including various acti ve components, from collagen to sodium lactate and aminoacids, from gelatine-glycine to Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid (PCA) and the newly-used Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as, for example, glycolic acid. This double-blind study aims to contro! the activi ty of 8% AHAs and gelatin-glycine-based cosmetic emulsions over 90 days clinically evaluating the number of thin wrinkles. Furthermore, the surface lipid film, the pH value and the skin moisture leve! were tested with the computerized methodology 3C System®. Finally, the celi turnover was tested with the "Scrub technique".