Objective To investigate the effect of glycolic acid peels combined with 595 dye laser in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Methods Sixty patients with acne vulgaris admitted to the Seventh People's Hospital of Shenyang from June 2022 to June 2023 were selected as the study subjects. They were divided into control group and combined group by random number table method, with 30 patients in each group. The control group was treated with 595 dye laser, and the combined group was treated with 595 dye laser combined with glycolic acid peels. The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared. Results The total effective rate of treatment in the combined group was 96.67%, which was higher than 80.00% in the control group (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of erythema and purpura between the two groups (P >0.05). The incidence of burning sensation and ulceration in the combined group was higher than that in the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion The effect of glycolic acid peels combined with 595 dye laser in the treatment of acne vulgaris is good, which can improve the total effective rate of treatment, and the adverse reactions are controllable and the clinical safety is high.