Search Skin Biology

NEW RELEASE:
Hydrogels for Osteochondral
Tissue Engineering
Journal of Biomedical
Research

(March 2020)
NEW RELEASE:
Anti-Wrinkle Activity
& Transdermal Delivery
of GHK Peptide
Journal of Peptide Science
(March 2020)
Pulsed Glow Discharge
to GHK-Cu Determination
International Journal
of Mass Spectrometry

(March 2020)
Protective Effects of GHK-Cu
in Pulmonary Fibrosis
Anti-Inflammation
Life Sciences
(January 2020)
Anti-Wrinkle Benefits
of GHK-Cu Stimulating
Skin Basement Membrane
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
(January 2020)
Structural Analysis
Molecular Dynamics of
Skin Protective
TriPeptide GHK
Journal of Molecular Structure
(January 2020)
In Vitro / In Vivo Studies
pH-sensitive GHK-Cu in
Superabsorbent Polymer
ACS OMEGA
(2019)
GHK Enhances
Mesenchymal
Stem Cells Osteogenesis
Acta Biomaterialia
(2019)
Self-Assembled
Antibacterial GHK-Cu
Nanoparticles for
Wound Healing
Particle & Particle (2019)
Effect of GHK-Cu
on Stem Cells and
Relevant Genes
OBM Geriatrics
(2018)
GHK Alleviates
Neuronal Apoptosis Due
to Brain Hemorrhage
Frontiers in Neuroscience
(2018)
GHK-Cu:
Endogenous Antioxidant
International Journal of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology (2018)
Regenerative and
Protective Actions of
GHK-Cu Peptide
International Journal of
Molecular Sciences
(2018)
Skin Regenerative and
Anti-Cancer Actions
of Copper Peptides
Cosmetics
(2018)
GHK-Cu Accelerates
Scald Wound Healing
Promoting Angiogenesis
Wound Repair and
Regeneration
(2017)

GHK Peptide Inhibits
Pulmonary Fibrosis
by Suppressing TGF-β1
Frontiers in Pharmacology
(2017)
UNITED STATES PATENT:
Non-Toxic
Skin Cancer Therapy
with Copper Peptides
(2017)
The Effect of Human
Peptide GHK Relevant to
Nervous System Function
and Cognitive Decline
Brain Sciences (2017)
Effects of Tripeptide
GHK in Pain-Induced
Aggressive Behavior
Bulletin of Experimental
Biology & Medicine
(2017)
GHK-Cu Elicits
In Vitro Alterations
in Extracellular Matrix
Am Journal of Respiratory
and Critical Care Medicine

(2017)
Selected Biomarkers &
Copper Compounds
Scientific Reports

(2016)
GHK-Cu on Collagen,
Elastin, and Facial Wrinkles
Journal of Aging Science
(2016)
Tri-Peptide GHK-Cu
and Acute Lung Injury
Oncotarget
(2016)

Effect of GHK Peptide
on Pain Sensitivity
Experimental Pharmacology
(2015)

New Data of the
Cosmeceutical and
TriPeptide GHK
SOFW Journal
(2015)
GHK Peptide as a
Natural Modulator of
Multiple Cellular Pathways
in Skin Regeneration
BioMed Research (2015)
Resetting Skin Genome
Back to Health
Naturally with GHK
Textbook of Aging Skin
(2015)
GHK-Cu May Prevent
Oxidative Stress in Skin
by Regulating Copper and
Modifying Expression of
Numerous Antioxidant Genes Cosmetics (2015)
GHK Increases
TGF-β1 in
Human Fibroblasts

Acta Poloniae
Pharmaceutica

(2014)
GHK:
The Human Skin Remodeling Peptide Induces Anti-Cancer
Expression and DNA Repair Analytical Oncology
(2014)
GHK & DNA:
Resetting the
Human Genome to Health
BioMed Research
International
(2014)
Enhanced Tropic Factor Secretion of Mesenchymal
Stem Cells with GHK
Acta Biomater
(2014)
Anxiolytic (Anti-Anxiety)
Effects of GHK Peptide
Bulletin of Experimental
Biology & Medicine
(2014)
Emphysema-Related
Lung Destruction and
its Reversal by GHK
Genome Medicine
(2012)
TriPeptide GHK Induces
Programmed Cell Death
of Neuroblastoma
Journal of Biotechnology
(2012)
Stem Cell
Recovering Effect
of GHK in Skin
Peptide Science
(2012)
Skin Penetration of
Copper Tripeptide in Vitro
Journal of International
Inflammation Research
(2010)
Possible Therapeutics
for Colorectal Cancer
Journal of Clinical and
Experimental Metastasis
(2010)
UNITED STATES PATENT:
Methods of Controlling
Differentiation and
Proliferation of Stem Cells
(2005)
Effects of
Copper Tripeptide
on Irradiated Fibroblasts
American Medical Association
(2005)
--- CLICK TO VIEW ALL --- --- CLICK TO VIEW ALL ---
Avoid Buying Fake Copper Peptides Dangerous







Why Your Skin's pH Matters - How to Look Younger Today!

You probably noticed that some facial cleansers (especially over-the-counter soaps) can make your skin dry and tight. In some cases, you may develop a rash or annoying itching. This is an indication that the facial cleanser you are using may be too alkaline.

In other words: its pH is too high. Alkaline cleansers lead to dry skin just as surely as alien chemicals in your cosmetics will lead to wrinkles. To help you find the perfect, well-balanced cleanser that will be gentle even on sensitive skin, let’s explore what is the pH of skin and why it is so important.

You probably have seen on some labels that a cosmetic product has a pH of 5.5 or 7.0 / When you see these two letters – p and H (and the number that follows) remember that this will determine whether your cleanser becomes your skin’s greatest friend or a vicious foe. This information can help determine whether your skin will look supple and smooth or inflamed, dry and rough.

So let’s talk a little about skin chemistry and find out what should be the proper pH of healthy skin and how we can preserve it with the right kind of cleanser.

Contents

 

 

 

Your Skin's pH

"Skin pH" is a chemist's term meaning "Potential of Hydrogen" and is used to measure the degree of acidity or alkalinity in the outer skin layers.

It is measured on a scale ranging from 0 to 14 where the center of the scale (7) is neutral (neither acid nor alkaline). A reading below 7 indicates that the substance being measured is acidic and above 7 is alkaline.

Normal skin pH is somewhat acidic and in the range of 4.2. to 5.6. It varies from one part of the body to another and, in general, the pH of a man's skin is lower (more acidic) than a woman's.

The acid mantle is a combination of sebum (oily fats) and perspiration that is constantly secreted to cover the skin's surface and maintain a proper skin pH.


Questions or Advice?

Email Dr. Loren Pickart at drlorenpickart@gmail.com

Call us at 1-800-405-1912 Monday Through Friday (8 am to 6 pm) PST Loren Pickart Skin Biology Facebook

Painting of a women with luscious skin

The Acid Mantle

The acid mantle protects skin in several ways:

Antioxidant - The lipids (fats) in the mantle are sacrificially oxidized to protect the underlying skin from excessive oxidation. This is why "whiteheads" - which are un-oxidized sebum in pores - turn into "blackheads" as the sebum is oxidized.

Water Repellent - The fats in the mantle repel water from the skin just like the oil on a duck's feathers repels water. This keeps water from loosening and damaging the o uter-most skin layers and renders the skin less vulnerable to damage and attack by environmental factors such as sun and wind and less prone to dehydration.

Bacterial Inhibition - The acidic pH of the mantle inhibits bacterial growth on the skin. Thus, the skin remains healthier, and has fewer blemishes.

Maintains Protein Hardness - The outer skin proteins are made of keratin, a very hard protein, that is also used in nature to make horns on animals. Keratin must be kept at an acidic pH to maintain its hardness by keeping the protective proteins tightly bound together. More alkaline pHs soften and loosen the fibers of keratin and create gaps in the protective covering. This allows more allergens, irritants, bacteria and viruses to penetrate into the skin. Acne, skin allergies and other skin problems become more severe when the skin becomes more alkaline.

Painting of a women with luscious skin

"Mild" Soaps Often Damage Skin

"Mild" soaps sold commercially often have an alkaline pH (9.5-11.0), and raise the pH of the skin, thus undermining your skin's natural defenses.

These soaps also extract protective lipids (fats) from the skin.

The high level of synthetic detergents found in these soaps strip away the mantle and loosen the protective keratin proteins.

People with skin irritation tend to have a more alkaline pH, and washing with soap can increase this alkaline state and make the skin even more vulnerable to irritation and infection.

Keep in mind that the pH system works in 10-fold multiples and each pH unit represents a 10-fold difference in alkalinity. So a soap with a pH of 10.5 has 10-times the alkalinity of a soap of pH 9.5.

Nude Woman painting with lovely skin

Increasing Skin Cell Turnover

Adequate skin cell replacement is crucial to maintaining the skin barrier.

Good skin cell turnover keeps a constant flow of cells moving outward in the skin and a fresh supply of outer skin proteins to replace older and damaged proteins.

When you are over thirty, regular use of an exfoliating acid, such as salicylic acid or lactic acid, will speed skin cell turnover. Retinoic acid also works well but is more irritating and requires a prescription.