The physiological balance of the skin is very important for good skin health in children.
The pH of the skin is a reliable indicator to maintain this balance. Using very aggressive lavish products, this balance will be destroyed. Result: dry, sensitive or even eczematic skin in children
What is the pH?
The pH determines the acidity or alkalinity of a solution and is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. The reference pH corresponds to a neutral pH (7 on the scale). If the solution has a pH greater than 7, it is said to be basic (or alkaline). And on the contrary, if the pH is less than 7, the solution is said to be acid.
Decipher the pH in children's skin
At birth, the skin is almost neutral with a pH of 6.6 (1). From a month, the pH of the skin naturally aligns with that of adults (5.5). In truth, the pH varies according to the different parts of the body. For example, the pH of the back of the hand is 5.5 or 5.8 while that of the face varies between 4.0 and 5.5 (2).
Where does this acidity come from?
The origin of this acidity is not completely clear. There are still two theories:
- It would come from lactic acid present naturally in our sweat.
- It would come from fatty acid contained in our sebum.
Why maintain a good pH is very important for the skin?
Like the intestines, our children's skin houses a community of billions of microorganisms. There are in particular the nice microbes. This "skin flora" also bears the name of microbiome. As an invisible ecosystem that lives on our skin, the pH ensures an environment favorable to good microbes and prevents the growth of potentially pathogenic microorganisms (which can cause disease).
How to maintain a good pH from the skin?
It's simple, avoid using aggressive washing products or not respecting the natural skin pH, that is to say soaps or cleaning products containing sulfates.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to submit a message on our site or to contact us by email cuckoo@lilikiwi.fr. We will be happy to answer you quickly!
Sources:
(1) Behrendt H. Green M. Skin Ph pattern in the Newborn Infant. J Dis Child 1958; 95: 35-41
(2) Braun-Falco O, Korting HC. Der nromal pH-Wert der high. Hautarzt 1986; 37: 126-129.
(3) Fluhr, J.W. and Elias, P.M. Stratum Corneum Ph: Formation and Function of the ‘Acid Mantle’. Exog. Dermatol. 1, 163–175 (2002).
(4) Rippke, F., Schreiner, V. and Schwanitz, H-J. The Acidic Middle of the Horny
(5) Fluhr, J.W., Kao, J., Jain, M., Ahn, S.K., Feingold, K.R. and Elias, P.M. Generation of Free Fatty Acids from phospholipids regulates scidification and integrity. J. Invest. Dermatol. 117, 44–51 (2001).