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. 2023 Oct 22;28(20):7219. doi: 10.3390/molecules28207219

Table 2.

Summary of comparative studies between the effectiveness and safety of different acids in chemical peels on acne skin (studies are presented chronologically).

Acids Description Outcome Year Ref.
70% Glycolic acid vs. Jessner solution 26 patients with facial acne;
procedures were repeated three times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    No significant differences in treatment effects between the two peels;

  • -

    Jessner’s solution showed a significantly increased degree of exfoliation compared to glycolic acid.

 1999 [77]
30% Glycolic acid vs. 30% Salicylic acid 20 patients with mild to moderately severe facial acne;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    No significant differences in effectiveness between the two peels;

  • -

    Salicylic acid peel has sustained increased effectiveness and fewer side effects.

 2008 [73]
35% Glycolic acid vs. 20% Salicylic acid + 10% Mandelic acid 44 patients with facial acne and post-acne scarring and hyperpigmentation;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Both agents were effective, with the salicylic acid + mandelic acid combination having better results for active acne and post-acne hyperpigmentation.

 2009 [78]
Glycolic acid vs. Amino fruit acid (20%, 35%, 50%, 70%) 24 patients with acne;
procedures were repeated for six months every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Both agents are efficient for comedonal acne;

  • -

    Amino fruit acid peel is less irritating and better tolerated than glycolic acid peel.

 2010 [79]
30% Salicylic acid vs.
Jessner solution		 13 patients with facial acne;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Salicylic acid peels were more effective for inflammatory acne than Jessner’s solution peels for treating noninflammatory acne.

 2013 [84]
20% Salicylic acid + 10% Mandelic acid vs. 35% Glycolic acid 40 patients with acne vulgaris, post-acne scarring, and associated hyperpigmentation;
procedures were repeated seven times every 2 weeks
  • -

    Both peels are efficient in treating inflammatory acne, noninflammatory acne, post-acne hyperpigmentation, and certain types of acne scars;

  • -

    Salicylic acid combined with mandelic acid showed a higher efficacy in several acne parameters.

 2015 [80]
35% Glycolic acid, 20% Salicylic acid—10% Mandelic acid vs. 50% Phytic acid 45 patients with active acne;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    All agents were efficient in improving active acne, but the inflammatory lesions were better treated with salicylic-mandelic peel.

 2016 [49]
30% Salicylic acid vs.
Jessner solution		 40 patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne; procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Salicylic acid was more effective than Jessner solution peels in the treatment of noninflammatory lesions;

 2017 [85]
20% Salicylic acid vs. 30% Mandelic acid 50 patients with mild to moderate facial acne;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Salicylic acid peel was more effective in reducing both inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions;

  • -

    Mandelic acid had fewer side effects and did not lead to postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

 2017 [64]
50% Buffered glycolic acid (pH 3.0) + 0,5% Salicylic acid vs. Jessner solution 20 patients with facial acne;
procedures were repeated two times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Peeling using the 50% glycolic acid (pH 3.0) + 0.5% salicylic acid solution can be as effective as peeling using Jessner’s solution and shows fewer adverse.

 2018 [74]
Modified Jessner’s solution + 20% TCA vs. 30% TCA;
20% Salicylic acid +
10% Mandelic acid vs. 30% Salicylic acid
modified Jessner’s solution + 20% TCA vs. 20% Salicylic acid + 10% Mandelic acid		 45 patients with facial acne;
procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Combination peels achieved better responses than single peels.

 2018 [86]
20% Azelaic acid + 20% salicylic acid vs. 25% TCA 34 patients with acne;
procedures were repeated four times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Both acid peels were efficient in treating acne vulgaris;

  • -

    More discomfort with TCA.

 2019 [75]
35% Glycolic acid vs. 20% Salicylic acid 100 patients with post-acne scarring
  • -

    Both acid peels were efficient in treating acne vulgaris

  • -

    Slightly better results salicylic acid

 2020 [81]
50% Pyruvic acid vs. a mixture of glycolic and salicylic acid 14 women with acne;
procedures were repeated four times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Pyruvic acid was beneficial for increasing the skin’s hydration and decreasing the skin’s colour.

 2020 [88]
Azelaic acid vs. Pyruvic acid 120 young women with facial acne; procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Significant reduction of acne severity symptoms for both azelaic acid and pyruvic acid;

  • -

    Pyruvic acid showed a more significant reduction of greasy skin than azelaic acid.

 2020 [76]
30% Salicylic acid vs. 45% Mandelic acid 50 patients with mild to moderate facial acne; procedures were repeated six times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Mandelic acid peel was found to be equally effective as salicylic acid peel;—Safety and tolerability of mandelic acid peel were better than salicylic acid peel.

 2020 [89]
30% Salicylic acid vs. Jessner solution 36 patients with mild to moderate facial acne; procedures were repeated three times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Salicylic acid and Jessner solution were equally effective in treating acne and reducing post-acne hyperpigmentation in patients with coloured skin.

 2020 [87]
50% Glycolic acid vs. 30% Salicylic acid 30 patients, split-face study, every two weeks peeling sessions
  • -

    Both acid peels were efficient in treating acne vulgaris;

  • -

    Salicylic acid was better tolerated.

 2020 [82]
70% Glycolic acid vs. 30% Salicylic acid 60 patients; procedures were repeated four times every 2 weeks.
  • -

    Both acids have comparable efficiencies;

  • -

    Salicylic acid exhibited an earlier decrease in the lesional count.

 2022 [83]