The U.S. Food and Drug Administration nominated topically applied alpha hydroxy acids to the U.S. National Toxicology Program for toxicological studies. The alpha-hydroxy acids are present at significant concentrations in many cosmetic products and are marketed as products to correct photoaging of skin. In this paper, we review the current knowledge concerning the effect of topical treatment of mice with creams containing alpha-hydroxy acids and the effect of ultraviolet radiation on treated and untreated mouse skin.