Drug & supplement interaction

Glycolic Acid + Testosterone

Testosterone brand names: Intrinsa, Testim, Androgel, Andropatch, Testogel, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Glycolic Acid and Testosterone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Glycolic Acid and Testosterone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Testosterone and Glycolic Acid in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Glycolic Acid at all — not against Testosterone, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Glycolic Acid safety at a glance

Glycolic Acid overall Use caution Generally safe when applied topically as directed, but can irritate skin and increase sun sensitivity.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used topically in appropriate concentrations . There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of glycolic acid when used orally duri... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used topically in appropriate concentrations . There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of glycolic acid when used orally duri... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Testosterone and Glycolic Acid? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Glycolic Acid and Testosterone May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Acne / A skin rash Additional detail

    Glycolic Acid

    “Topically, glycolic acid is generally well tolerated when used in concentrations at or below 10%. In general, products should be tested on a small area of skin before applying it to a larger area.

    Alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid can increase sensitivity to the sun and ultraviolet (UV) light. This can increase damage to the skin, and after long-term use, might increase the risk of skin cancer.”

    Glycolic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in acne.

    6 sources cited
    1. 952. Stiller MJ, Bartolone J, Stern R, et al. Topical 8% glycolic acid and 8% L-lactic acid creams for the treatment of photodamaged skin. A double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical trial. Arch Dermatol 1996;132:631-6.
    2. 10101. Erbagci Z, Akcali C. Biweekly serial glycolic acid peels vs. long-term daily use of topical low-strength glycolic acid in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Int J Dermatol 2000;39:789-94.. PubMed
    3. 10102. Javaheri SM, Handa S, Kaur I, Kumar B. Safety and efficacy of glycolic acid facial peel in Indian women and melasma. Int J Dermatol 2001;40:354-7.
    4. 106612. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cosmetic Ingredients: Alpha Hydroxy Acids. August 2020. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/alpha-hydroxy-acids. Accessed on October 19, 2021.
    5. 6080. Kurtzweil P. Alpha-hydroxy acids for skin care: Smooth sailing or rough seas? FDA 1999. Available at: /www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1998/298_ahas.html (Accessed 18 August 2000). DOI
    6. 92209. Baumann LS, Oresajo C, Yatskayer M, Dahl A, Figueras K. Comparison of clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel to a novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid in the treatment

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Numbness or tingling / Itching / Swelling Additional detail

    Glycolic Acid

    “Topically, glycolic acid is generally well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Topically: Mild irritation, sun sensitivity, and a tingling sensation.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Topically: Increased risk of skin cancer, skin damage, and transient hyperpigmentation.”

    Glycolic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Glycolic Acid but not commonly for Testosterone: sun sensitivity, hives and bleeding or bruising.

Effects for Testosterone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Glycolic Acid come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Glycolic Acid in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used topically in appropriate concentrations . There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of glycolic acid when used orally during pregnancy and lactation; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Glycolic Acid or Testosterone

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Glycolic Acid or Testosterone, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Testosterone

This page covers Glycolic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Testosterone page lists 170 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 129 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Testosterone page

“The supplement list for testosterone therapy (Androgel, Testim, Nebido, and others) deserves real attention, mainly because five of its 170 entries are rated major and four of those are everyday items: grapefruit, St. John's wort, and alcohol in the form of beer or wine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Testosterone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Glycolic Acid and Testosterone Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Glycolic Acid
Steady interest

#1,131 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Testosterone
Top 1%

#15 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Glycolic Acid reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Glycolic Acid and Testosterone records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Glycolic Acid

What is Glycolic Acid?

  • Acne
  • Anti-aging and fine lines
  • Uneven skin tone and dark spots
  • Skin exfoliation
  • Rough or dry skin texture

Glycolic acid is a topical alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) used mainly to exfoliate the skin, smooth texture, and improve appearance. It is not a dietary supplement you swallow—it is applied to the skin and is generally well tolerated, though it can cause irritation and sun sensitivity. Always follow product directions and use sunscreen, and talk to a pharmacist or dermatologist if you have sensitive skin.

Not applicable (a chemically produced or naturally sourced acid) · Topical creams, gels, serums, cleansers, chemical peels, and lotions

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Glycolic Acid is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Glycolic Acid record says about it on its own.

Glycolic Acid: dosing

There is no standard oral dose because glycolic acid is used on the skin, not taken by mouth. Over-the-counter products usually contain lower concentrations, while professional peels use much higher strengths under medical supervision.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and start slowly—for example, every other day—to see how your skin reacts before using it more often.

From our Glycolic Acid monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Glycolic Acid monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Testosterone

What Is Testosterone Used For?

Brand names: Intrinsa, Testim, Androgel, Andropatch, Testogel, Nebido, Delatestryl, Natesto, Vogelxo

Testosterone replacement therapy is used in adult males whose bodies do not produce enough of their own testosterone. This includes primary hypogonadism — where the testes themselves fail due to causes such as Klinefelter's syndrome, injury, chemotherapy, or surgical removal — and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, where the brain's signaling system (the hypothalamus or pituitary gland) fails to trigger testosterone production.

Testopel (subcutaneous pellets) may also be used to stimulate puberty in carefully selected males with clearly delayed puberty. The safety and efficacy of testosterone for age-related (late-onset) hypogonadism have not been established for most products, including AndroGel, Testim, Jatenzo, Kyzatrex, Natesto, Depo-Testosterone, Testosterone Cypionate, and Xyosted.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Testosterone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (34,758 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,854 reports
Myocardial infarction 1,728 reports
Cerebrovascular accident 1,290 reports
Deep vein thrombosis 1,240 reports
Anxiety 1,199 reports
See full Testosterone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Glycolic Acid

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Glycolic Acid — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Glycolic Acid against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Glycolic Acid list.

See the full Glycolic Acid interactions page
See every supplement checked against Testosterone, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Glycolic Acid References

The 16 references that drive our Glycolic Acid monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Stiller MJ, Bartolone J, Stern R, et al. Topical 8% glycolic acid and 8% L-lactic acid creams for the treatment of photodamaged skin. A double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical trial. Arch Dermatol 1996;132:631-6.
  2. Kurtzweil P. Alpha-hydroxy acids for skin care: Smooth sailing or rough seas? FDA 1999. Available at: /www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1998/298_ahas.html (Accessed 18 August 2000). DOI
  3. Erbagci Z, Akcali C. Biweekly serial glycolic acid peels vs. long-term daily use of topical low-strength glycolic acid in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Int J Dermatol 2000;39:789-94.. PubMed
  4. Javaheri SM, Handa S, Kaur I, Kumar B. Safety and efficacy of glycolic acid facial peel in Indian women and melasma. Int J Dermatol 2001;40:354-7.
  5. Baumann LS, Oresajo C, Yatskayer M, Dahl A, Figueras K. Comparison of clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel to a novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid in the treatment
  6. Kaminaka C, Uede M, Matsunaka H, Furukawa F, Yamomoto Y. Clinical evaluation of glycolic acid chemical peeling in patients with acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face comparative study. Dermatol Surg. 2014 Mar;40(3):314- PubMed
  7. Vachiramon V, Sahawatwong S, Sirithanabadeekul P. Treatment of melasma in men with low-fluence Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser versus combined laser and glycolic acid peeling. Dermatol Surg. 2015 Apr;41(4):457-65. PubMed
  8. Abels C, Kaszuba A, Michalak I, Werdier D, Knie U, Kaszuba A. A 10% glycolic acid containing oil-in-water emulsion improves mild acne: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2011 Sep;10(3):202-9. PubMed
  9. Saadawi AN, Esawy AM, Kandeel AH, El-Sayed W. Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18(1):107-114. PubMed
  10. Rouvrais C, Baspeyras M, Mengeaud V, Rossi AB. Antiaging efficacy of a retinaldehyde-based cream compared with glycolic acid peel sessions: A randomized controlled study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2018;17(6):1136-1143. PubMed
  11. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cosmetic Ingredients: Alpha Hydroxy Acids. August 2020. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/alpha-hydroxy-acids. Accessed on October 19, 2021.
  12. Bs C, Vadlamudi SL, Shenoy C. Safety of Performing Superficial Chemical Peels in Patients on Oral Isotretinoin for Acne and Acne-Induced Pigmentation. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2021;14(11):41-43.
  13. Banga G, Patel K. Glycolic Acid peels for nail rejuvenation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg 2014;7(4):198-201. PubMed
  14. Vishal B, Rao SS, Pavithra S, Shenoy MM. Contact urticaria to glycolic acid peel. J Cutan Aesthet Surg 2012;5(1):58-9. PubMed
  15. Nai RS, Ghiya BC, Mohta AK, Mehta RD. A randomized control trial of 20% glycolic acid versus 30% salicylic acid in the management of molluscum contagiosum. J Cutan Aesthet Surg 2022;15(3):249-253. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Glycolic Acid and Testosterone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Glycolic Acid with Testosterone?
We do not list a known interaction between Glycolic Acid and Testosterone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Glycolic Acid and Testosterone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Testosterone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Testosterone has documented interactions with 170 supplements in our database — Glycolic Acid is not one of them. The Testosterone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Glycolic Acid monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Testosterone drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Testosterone supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Testosterone, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Testosterone and Glycolic Acid?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.