pH and the Acid Mantle
The term pH stands for the “potential of Hydrogen”. It is a measure of the
Hydrogen ion concentration of a substance. The Hydrogen ion concentration is
more commonly referred to as the acidity or alkalinity level. The more acidity
in the substance, the lower the pH, the less acidity, the higher the
pH. There are differing values of pH in the body depending on what
function is being performed. For example, the pH of the stomach is very acidic,
around 1, because stomach acids help break down the foods we eat. Our saliva
and blood, on the other hand, are much closer to neutral. Neutral substances,
like water, have a pH of 7. A pH above 7 is considered alkaline (less acidic),
and a pH below 7 is considered acidic.
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The acid mantle is a thin oily film that sits on top of the outmost layer of
our skin. For most people, the pH of the acid mantle is about 4.5 to 5.5. Why
is our skin naturally acidic at the surface? Our slightly acidic skin helps to
fight off harmful bacteria. Many of the contaminants that might enter our skin,
such as chemicals from the atmosphere and harmful bacteria, are alkaline in
nature (i.e., they have a pH of higher than 7). Our skin’s natural acidity
neutralizes these chemicals and bacteria, much the same way the milk of
magnesia neutralizes stomach acid when we have heartburn. Neutralizing these
harmful contaminants is part of the body’s defense system. Maintaining the skin
pH at the proper level is vital to protecting ourselves from harmful bacteria
which can lead to acne, infection, or irritation.
Most of us use soap and water to clean our faces without realizing that this may
not be beneficial to us. Soapy water is highly alkaline (with a pH of 12, see
chart) while our skin is naturally acidic (with a pH of approximately 5). Soapy
water is commonly used to clean our faces because it removes the natural oils
from the skin. While this leaves our skin with that “clean feeling,” soap is
actually neutralizing our skins acid pH thereby stripping away our natural
defense systems. Particularly for those of us that wash our faces 2, 3, or 4
times a day because of a problem condition like acne, stripping away the acid
mantle can actually worsen our condition. Similarly it is important for us to
know the pH of any cleansers, moisturizers, makeup and other products we use so
that we don’t remove the protective oils and acid mantle from our skin.
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