How pH levels affect skin

Interested in having the appearance of your skin age far faster than your birthday celebrations?  No, I didn’t think so.  So, what can be done to slow the process?  A good step is to understand how pH levels can affect the health and wellbeing of your body overall, and in particular, its largest organ, the skin.

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pH and its role in optimal skin health.  pH is measured on a scale from 1 (being most acidic) to 14 (being the most alkaline.)  Neutral is considered around 7, with skin at a pH level near 5.5 – making it slightly acidic. The acidic layer, known as the acid mantle, helps your skin retain moisture while blocking germs, pollution, toxins, and bacteria.  But, if the pH level is too alkaline or too acidic, the mantle is disturbed and skin conditions such as wrinkles, dermatitis, eczema, and acne may result.

The sebum produced by our skin’s sebaceous glands mixes with our perspiration to create the ideal pH, but as we age, things change.  The amount of oils we naturally produce diminishes – requiring greater moisture to keep the pH level in check.

Just a quick mention here about the pH of the vaginal area. This region has an approximate pH value ranging from 3.8 to 4.5 and functions in a relatively acidic environment. It's not the best place to use alkaline soap, which you may have noticed with a burning sensation. Yeah, let's keep soap lather away from girlie parts.  That kind of cleaning frenzy will destroy the good bacteria that keeps yeast infections at bay.

Maintaining the ideal pH.  If you’ve been using conventional soap, stop now.  Most commercial soaps are too alkaline with pH levels from 9 to 12.  Each time you suds up, you’re stripping away natural oils, leaving skin dry and irritated.  The worst offender is a soap or shampoo with the ingredient Sodium Laureth Sulfate.  It has a sky-high alkaline pH level of 10 – drying and irritating to the skin.

Instead, select a cleanser that is pH balanced (around 7) or just above (really anywhere from 7 to 9) and follow with moisturizing lotions that contain Argon, Coconut, Jojoba or Olive Oil.

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Role of diet.  The health of our body and skin starts not with the products we use, but with what we consume.  According to many in the medical community, it’s important that we achieve the right balance between acidity and alkalinity in our diets.  Just type "achieving pH balance through diet" into Google, and the results are stunning.  Who knew?

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Confessions.  In recent years, I have taken better care of my skin from the outside while ignoring what I was putting inside. Throughout my adult life, my diet has been a nutritional nightmare – almost entirely made up of processed food and animal proteins, not to mention those colas that are off the acidic side of the pH chart.  What was I thinking?  I realize now that eating a diet rich in antioxidants and nutrient dense foods may be the key to slowing the signs of aging and obtaining optimum health.  I've finally discovered what many others have long known – the anti-aging “secret” is to maintain a healthy balance of nutritious foods, and I'm determined to learn more as I improve my diet.  There may be something to this pH ying and yang.

About the Author
Deborah Sibley is 'la savonnier' and president of Capistrano Soap Company, maker of the all-natural ACEQUIA® Bath and Body Collection. The company’s eco-luxe, chemical-free product line is handcrafted from nature’s most emollient-rich, skin-quenching ingredients by a third generation of soapmaking artisans. The luxury line includes: Natural Castile Soap, Luxe Body Wash and Skin Nourishment Lotion – products that nourish skin and come delicately scented in six signature fragrances. Find out more online at www.capistranosoap.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/capistranosoap.