Glycolic acid is an incredibly popular treatment because of the many benefits it has for the skin. It has effective skin-renewing properties, so it is often used in anti-aging products. It can help smooth fine wrinkles and improve the skin's tone and texture
Glycolic acid is used in the textile industry as a dyeing and tanning agent, in food processing as a flavoring agent and as a preservative, and in the pharmaceutical industry as a skin care agent. It is also used in adhesives and plastics.
Sodium glycolate is a residual reactant in the manufacture of the superdisintegrant sodium starch glycolate, and it has been known to cause degradation of drugs like duloxetine.
Preformulation assessment of the compatibility of the α-hydroxy acids (AHAs) lactic acid and glycolic acid using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed a number of possible incompatibilities. Changes in the melting behavior of 1:1 mixtures of lactic acid and glycolic acid, lactic acid and sorbic acid, and lactic acid and methyl paraben were observed.
