What Is PH 5.5? - Sebamed

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What is pH 5.5? What is pH5.5?

Our skin has a special feature: its surface is slightly acidic.

The surface of the skin is composed of a hydrolipid protective layer (the acid mantle) which has an average pH value of 5.5. The acidic pH value stabilizes the skin's function as a barrier, locks in hydration, and wards off pathogens that can cause disease

Intensive protection combined with optimal skin care is essential to maintain your skin's delicate equilibrium. This is why sebamed has developed specialised products for your face and body, with a pH value of 5.5. All sebamed products have a slightly acidic value of 5.5 which stabilizes this barrier function.

 

What Exactly Protects us every day from Environmental  Influences?

The skin's pH value.

The term “pH value” has been widely talked about for years now.  There is hardly anyone who hasn’t heard it or read it on shampoo bottles or tubs of cream. But how many people are actually aware of what this abbreviation stands for and what it means?

“pH” is short for the Latin term “potentia hydrogenii” and translates as “hydrogen ion concentration”. pH values allow us to differentiate acids and bases from each other and label them according to strength. Anything that contains water also has a pH value, which can be determined using an electronic pH meter or an indicator such as litmus. 

The Acid Mantle

Our skin can be assigned a pH value too, because the hydrolipid film on the skin’s surface contains water. It was discovered about a hundred years ago that the skin is slightly acidic. Modern measuring techniques produced an average pH value of 5.5, which is due to natural acidic substances in sweat, sebum, and horny cells. The significance of the acidic nature of the skin’s surface is demonstrated in the “acid mantle”.

Its job: to repel harmful microorganisms and negative environmental influences and, in doing so, protect the skin from infections, irritation, allergies, and drying out. An intact acid mantle also functions as a natural deodorant, because it minimises the bacterial breakdown of sweat which causes body odour.

It is therefore vital that you don’t do anything that could damage your acid mantle. You should for example avoid cleansing your body with “normal” soap, because the soapy water will have a pH value of 8 to 12 and will destroy the acid mantle. Washing with “pH neutral” products, whose pH values of 7 differ considerably from the skin’s of 5.5, can harm the acid mantle as well though. And finally, you should steer clear of any contact with basic solutions while working.

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