It makes perfect sense to look at skin pH and what it has to do with your skin health. Because: If your skin loses its pH balance, it loses its own protection and is more susceptible to skin damage. We have taken a closer look at the pH value of the skin and summarize what is important for you and your skin health.
First of all:
What is pH And what is pH?
The pH value describes how acidic or not (i.e. basic or alkaline) the medium of a solution is. The abbreviation comes from Latin and stands for potentia hyrogenii, which means something like the potential of hydrogen.s”.
The pH value is measured on a scale from 1 to 14 and is classified as follows:
- A pH value less than 7 is considered acidic.
- A pH of 7 is neutral. Water corresponds to this pH value.
- A pH greater than 7 is considered basic or alkaline.
You will find different pH values in the human body. That is why we often speak of milieus when referring to the pH value, i.e. pH environments. For classification::
- theStomach acid is very acidic with a pH of 1 to 1.5,
- theSkin surface of humans is slightly acidic with a pH value of 5.5 and
- human saliva is slightly acidic to slightly alkaline with a pH value of 6.5 to 7.4.
- Firstblood is clearer in the basic range with a pH value of 7.4 and
- thePancreatic juice from the pancreas is even higher at 8.4.
How the pH value can be determined
Perhaps you still know them from the drugstore or from chemistry class: You can use a so-called litmus test to determine the pH value of solutions. Such tests show the pH value of a solution in color.
With such a litmus test you can determine the pH value of your skin:
What is the pH of the skin
The pH of the skin is around 5.5. This makes the skin slightly acidic.
However, the pH value varies depending on the body region. For example, the skin under the armpits is more alkaline, while it is more acidic in the intimate area of women.
The weakly acidic value is related to the fact that the skin pores sometimes produce sweat and sebum - they lead to the skin being slightly acidic.
When we talk about the pH of the skin in the following, we are referring to the large surface area of the skin, which has a pH of 5.5. That is also the pH level for the skin on the face.
Why is the pH of 5.5 so important for the skin
Your skin's health needs the slightly acidic pH environment for its own protective mantle, which is also called the protective acid mantle or hydrolipid film.
The hydrolipid film consists of sweat, sebum and water. This combination makes it slightly acidic and therefore has different functions. He
- protects your skin from losing moisture
- prevents the growth of pathogens likebacteria, Viruses and fungi
- holdsfree radicals at a distance
- can neutralize alkaline substances such as soaps, but also urine or stool
The skin's own protective film thus has important properties to protect your skin fromSigns of premature aging to protect.
What happens when the pH of the skin is disturbed
As soon as the pH of your skin is too high, the skin loses its acidic properties. This sometimes has the following consequences::
1. Skin damage: Your skin becomes defenseless against external influences
Allergens, chemicals as well as pathogens and free radicals can penetrate the skin more easily and cause various damage and skin diseases. Sometimes this includes skin irritation, skin irritation and inflammation.
2. Dryness lines: Your skin can lose moisture
The skin's own protective mantle keeps moisture in the skin from evaporating. If there is no hydrolipid film, skin dryness is the consequence.
The dry skin can also flake and wrinkle. In addition, it loses protection against external influences and is more prone to inflammation.
3. Dry fatty skin: Your skin is prone to blemishes
The skin usually reacts independently to the lack of balance in the pH value and compensates for it within 30 to 60 minutes.
As a natural counter-reaction to the damaged or missing protective coat, your skin produces more sebum. Only: Sometimes the sebum production gets out of whack.
Skin impurities from excessive sebum are the result: Your skin can become oily. Perhaps you have heard of dry fatty skin in this context..
How can you influence the pH of your skin
First of all: The pH value of the skin depends on various internal and external influences.
To theinternal factors This includes biological age and gender, but also genetic predisposition, hormonal balance and the findings of existing skin diseases. Not to forget the fact that the pH value differs depending on the body region.
To theexternal factors include fluctuations in temperature and humidity as well as dirt and environmental toxins. In particular, alkaline cosmetics and too frequent washing damage the pH value of the skin.
Alkaline soaps and surfactants in particular damage the natural protective layer on the skin: they are excellent at removing dirt, but they also have a pH value between 9 and 10. This neutralizes the protective acid on the skin and destroys the skin's own protective layer.
How can you protect the pH of your skin
For a stable pH value, it is fundamentally important that you do not stress your skin. What you can do about it:
Do not cleanse your skin too often and make sure you use the right care products.
Keyword: pH-neutral or pH-skin-neutral.
Today, pH neutrality is a property that many washing lotions have. For this purpose, they use formulations that are low in or free of surfactants, so that they are set to a pH value between 4.1 and 5.5 and cannot damage the skin, at least not its hydrolipid film..
By the way: Allsober skin care products have a pH between 4.5-5.9.
Take good care of yourself and your skin. #TreatYourself
Anne