Acidic pH Is Not Enough When It Comes To Topical Skin Health Products. Here’s Why:
The acid mantle was a term first coined in 1920s Germany by scientists that were studying the skin. Since then, it has been used by researchers and marketing executives to help describe the skin’s need for a certain hydrogen ion gradient that makes cellular processes possible on a multi scale level. However, one pH does not fit every sub compartment of the skin and this fact has been severely overlooked by the skincare industry and even researchers at large.
The skin is one of the most dynamic organs of our body. It is ever evolving and ever shifting in nature. When someone says that a certain area of our body is a given pH (wether it be acid or basic), it is an overarching principle rather than detail oriented as many have been marketed to believe.
The skin has multiple “compartments” that work together to help create what we in science call “acid gradients.” The overall pH that we often hear about in mainstream media is just one example of a compartment (topically accessible) but does not account for the inter-, intra- or sub- cellular levels that rely on this hydrogen ion gradient for purposes revolving around signaling and function of maintaining a healthy epidermal layer.
To simplify the concept, let us imagine a push door that can only be opened by a specific amount of force being applied to it. This is similar to how hydrogen ions collect on one side of the channels and receptors found on, in and in between our cells which helps them open or close these “doorways” to allow for impulses to occur. These impulses subsequently lead to other downstream effects like telling our bodies to create more collagen, or preserve water, etc.
By creating products that are set at a given pH (eg. 5.5) we are just saying that there are X amount of hydrogen ions (H+) present in a given amount of that formulation. It may match what is “typically” present on our skin , OR it may modulate the skin’s current pH. Regardless, there is a shift that is occurring when you bombard your skin with a bunch of new hydrogen ions topically.
So why does all this matter? Long story short, we are all looking to change something about our skin to improve signs of aging or some sort of problem we are observing. However, without understanding the level on which the problem lies in terms of cellular physiology, we cannot determine the use of acidic products as they pertain to improving that specific condition. For example, if the problem is of water loss and the ion gradient that needs to be “acidified” is BETWEEN cells rather than on their surfaces, a topical cream with an acidic pH will theoretically do nothing for you.
It is very important, now more than ever, for us to understand how the mechanics of our body play a role in the application of new innovations in skin health. The more we learn, the broader our view becomes and the ability of us narrowing that view is then the true focus (or should be at least) of modern science and innovation.
It is not enough to think outside the box, but rather more important to think within, between and in a 360 perspective in relation to it.
Thanks for reading
Kind Regards,
Dr Ekta Y. MD MBA MS
Be sure to follow our social media channels below:
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/skincare-anarchy/id1522162686
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/298oIu74qjd3pXaaBMDr19
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skincareanarchy/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skincareanarchhy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkincareAnarchy
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Skincare_Anarchy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skincareanarchy/
Pinterest: https://cz.pinterest.com/skincareanarchy/_created/
