What does gluconolactone do for skin?

Is gluconolactone an exfoliating acid?

Yes. Gluconolactone is used as an exfoliating chemical peel. Its moisture retaining action distinguishes it from thinking of exfoliation purely as removing surface skin. It forms a delicate film that reduces transepidermal water loss, meaning water escaping through the skin.1

What about wrinkles, oil and pores?

The evidence for these benefits is more preliminary. In laboratory testing, a gluconolactone based lotion increased activity in genes involved in collagen, elastin and skin cell maturation. Collagen and elastin are structural proteins that support skin. The lotion also reduced activity in a gene involved in sebum, the skin's oil. These are laboratory effects of a finished lotion, rather than measured wrinkle reduction or pore shrinkage on people's faces.2

Choose a product by its whole formula rather than gluconolactone alone, because another ingredient can still cause a reaction. A gluconolactone lotion is still a whole formula, not a solo performance by the ingredient on the front.3

Is gluconolactone good for sensitive skin?

Gluconolactone is described as a soothing, hydrating exfoliating ingredient, making it an option to consider for sensitive skin. Test the finished product before applying it across your face: preservatives and other ingredients can cause allergic contact dermatitis, a reaction that makes skin red, itchy or swollen.13

How to test a gluconolactone product

1. 1Choose a spot about the size of a quarter on the underside of your arm or in the bend of your elbow, where the product will not rub off.
2. 2Apply your normal amount twice daily for seven to 10 days. This is a small area product test, not a suggested facial exfoliation schedule.
3. 3Leave the product on for its normal contact time. For a rinse off product, use five minutes or the time specified in its instructions.
4. 4If no redness, itching or swelling develops, start using the product as directed.

How often should you use gluconolactone?

There is no established facial application schedule here for gluconolactone alone, including morning versus evening use or layering with other actives. Use the finished product's directions rather than borrowing a professional peel protocol. An application schedule belongs to that product, not to the most ambitious bottle elsewhere on the shelf.3

Can gluconolactone dry out your skin?

Gluconolactone's moisture retaining action works against dryness. In 21 women receiving three weekly treatments, a 10% gluconolactone peel combined with either oxybrasion or microneedling increased hydration and reduced water loss. Oxybrasion is a water and oxygen exfoliation procedure; microneedling punctures the skin with fine needles. Those combined treatments are different from using a lotion at home, so they do not provide a home use strength or results timetable.1

When should you stop using it?

If a product causes a reaction, gently wash it off and stop using it. A cool compress or petroleum jelly can help relieve the skin. See a dermatologist if the reaction is severe and those measures do not relieve it, or if you cannot identify what is causing repeated reactions.3

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and retinoid therapy were exclusions from the combined procedure research. That leaves the suitability of an ordinary gluconolactone cosmetic during pregnancy or alongside prescription retinoids unsettled here; the procedure exclusions are not a blanket ban on the ingredient.1