Just like some people’s skin is more sensitive than others, some people’s acid mantles are more sensitive than others. In fact, you might have a sensitive acid mantle even while you don’t think you have specifically sensitive skin.
Making sure you have healthy skin barrier function is one of the most important and beneficial things you can do for your skin.
WHAT IS THE ACID MANTLE?
The acid mantle is your skin’s moisture barrier that keeps moisture in while keeping harmful things out.
It’s composed mostly of fatty acids which create a protective slightly acidic layer on the surface of the skin that prevents bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens from penetrating while also keeping moisture from evaporating.
The problem is that unlike sensitive skin which can show sensitivities right away in the form of redness or dryness, a sensitive skin barrier may not show up immediately.
Oftentimes a sensitive or damaged skin barrier is a long term problem that many people begin to think is just the way their skin is. This can take the form of acne, dullness, slow healing, clogged pores or just an overall congested appearance.
Unfortunately, a lot of the steps people take to improve the appearance of skin can in fact contribute to damaging an already compromised moisture barrier.
The following are 14 factors that can damage your moisture barrier and the solutions that can fix it. If you struggle with problem skin healing moisture barrier could be a simple solution to your skin problems.
WASHING WITH BAR SOAP
Problem: Bar soap is typically highly alkaline, usually a 7 or more on the pH scale.
Besides the alkalinity, bar soap is also a very strong surfactant or detergent so it’s very effective at stripping a lot of the fat from the surface of the skin. The fat or oil is where the acid mantle lives and stripping it significantly compromises the skin barrier.
Solution: Switch to a gentle pH balanced bar soap specifically formulation for skin which has a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 that perfectly matches the skin’s preferred pH zone.
STRIPPING LIQUID CLEANSERS
Problem: Besides bar soaps, liquid cleansers can also wreak havoc on your acid mantle.
Even if you are using a cleanser specially formulated for problem skin or acne prone skin, it may still be much too alkaline to support healthy barrier function.
This was my exact experience with Vichy Normaderm. Switching to a gentler cleanser solved a lot of my skin problems like the overall congestion and dullness I was dealing with.
CLEANSING TOO OFTEN
Problem: For some people cleansing even twice a day can be too taxing on their acid mantle.
Solution: If you’ve tried other barrier repair fixes and aren’t seeing results, try only using cleanser at night. In the morning just splash water on your face.
PLAIN OLD TAP WATER
Problem: As if skin care wasn’t complicated enough already now water could be standing between you and good skin.
The pH of water is naturally more alkaline than that of skin. Water ranges from 6.5 to 7 whereas skin is happiest between 4.5 and 5.5. For some people applying water too often can disrupt the acid mantle.
Solution: The oil cleansing method is a good option if you’ve exhausted other potential causes of your skin issues.
It’s usually said that the best oil to start with is mineral oil as it’s non-comedogenic and generally not reactive.
