Beyond Gentle Cleansing for Sensitive Skin
Skin that is easily irritated may signify that the barrier function and skin pH are impaired. This can result from either internal factors like age or external factors like soaps and detergents that alter the skin’s pH and strip its essential lipids. Read on to learn how you can strengthen your skin’s protective barrier and it acidic pH level.
The Skin Barrier in Sensitive Skin
A healthy skin barrier isn’t just a happy coincidence – it takes the right skincare that respects and preserves its healthy skin barrier.
The skin’s acid mantle, which ranges between pH4-6, plays an important role in maintaining healthy skin barrier function. Apart from preserving the skin’s barrier that repels allergens and bacteria, it also helps to support the production of an enzyme, serine protease, and ceramide, an essential lipid, which are needed to maintain the structure of skin cells.i
The skin has several natural, biological mechanisms that help to maintain its equilibrium. Lactic acid in sweat helps to maintain the acid mantle; after the use of alkaline soaps, the skin releases amino acids that help to restore its optimal, acidic pH level.ii
However, several factors interfere with these mechanisms. These include increased age, loss of moisture in the skin, and low production of sweat and sebum, which raise the skin’s pH, causing the skin to become less acidic. There are also external factors that can disrupt these mechanisms, such as exposure to irritants, and the use of harsh detergents and soaps which are alkaline in nature; these also increase the skin’s pH level. Even brief exposure such as washing with conventional soap and water increases the skin’s pH level to 8 or more, and soap also removes the skin’s natural lipids, leading to a rise in the skin pH.iii iv v
Over time, the lasting effect of one or more of these factors leads to a gradual weakening of the acid mantle. This results in reduced production of ceramide and free fatty acids, allowing bacterial growth and degrading skin cells found in the stratum corneum, compromising its integrity, making it more susceptible to dryness and irritation.vi
Weakening of the skin barrier makes skin more susceptible to dryness and irritation, especially in sensitive skin that is characterised by ceramide deficiency and elevated pH
Dry and sensitive skin, which is characterised by weakening skin barrier due to ceramide deficiencyvii viii and elevated pH levelix of pH6 or higher, can mean the difference between more frequent outbreaks of dry, itchy skin.
A Cleanser That Cleanses and Strengthen the Skin Barrier
Sensitive skin requires a cleanser that functions beyond conventional gentle cleanser. A next-generation gentle cleanser should also contain goodies ingredients that also strengthen the skin barrier, moisturise, and soothe the skin.
Unlike conventional gentle cleanser, Ceradan® Gentle Cleansers uses an established gentle cleansing agent (surfactant), Sodium Cocoyl lsethionate suited for sensitive skin effective in removing dirt and grimes without stripping your skin’s natural lipids. It also does not contain potentially irritating ingredients like SLS/SLES, colourant and fragrance. Beyond gentleness, Ceradan® Gentle Cleansers contains ceramide-dominant lipids that are clinically proven to strengthen the skin barrier and moisturise and soothe sensitive skin.
It is also important to choose a gentle cleanser with pH-balanced. Some conventional cleanser may be unsuitable if the pH level is high (alkaline), the cleansing agent or surfactant will strip out the natural lipids thus weakening or disrupting the skin barrier, or both.x
Products designed for sensitive skin must respect the skin’s natural lipids and help replenish its lipid content with a 3:1:1 ratio of ceramide, cholesterol and free fatty acids
A study involving 30 individuals with sensitive skin and the comparative use of 17 products found that most cleansing products recommended for sensitive skin have a considerable irritation effect, related either to its pH level or type of cleanser (surfactants) used.xi
To meet the specific needs of sensitive skin, Ceradan® Gentle Cleanser isxii:
| Conventional Cleansersxiii | Ceradan® Gentle Cleanser |
|---|---|
| ✘ Alkaline; raises skin pH | √ Soap-free (non-foaming) and pH-balanced; mild enough for face and body and suitable for all ages, including infants |
| ✘ Contains harsh surfactants to remove sebum and lipids, leading to dryness | √ Free from potential irritants: SLS/SLES, paraben, colourant and fragrance |
| ✘ Compromises skin’s barrier function and damages the acid mantle | √ Strengthen the skin barrier with 3:1:1 ratio of ceramide, cholesterol and free fatty acids |
For consistent care in dry and sensitive skin, use together with Ceradan® Hydra Moisturiser, a hydrating, light-textured moisturiser enriched with ceramide-dominant essential skin lipids and sodium hyaluronate to boost skin hydration and retain moisture.
Results may vary.
References:
- M Ali S and Yosipovitch G. “Skin pH: From Basic Science to Basic Skin Care”. Acta Derm Venereol 2013; 93: 261–267.
- M Ali S and Yosipovitch G. “Skin pH: From Basic Science to Basic Skin Care”. Acta Derm Venereol 2013; 93: 261–267.
- Panther DJ, et al. “The Importance of Acidification in Atopic Eczema: An Underexplored Avenue for Treatment” J Clin Med 2015;5:970-978.
- Surber C, et al. “The Acid Mantle: A Myth or an Essential Part of Skin Health?” Curr Probl Dermatol 2018;54:1-10.
- Lambers H, et al. “Natural skin surface pH Is on average below 5, which is beneficial for its resident flora” Int J Cosmet Sci 2006;28:359-370.
- Lee H-J et al. “Epidermal Permeability Barrier Defects and Barrier Repair Therapy in Atopic Dermatitis” Allergy Asthma Immunol Res 2014;6(4):276-287.
- Del Rosso J, et al. “Understanding the Epidermal Barrier in Healthy and Compromised Skin: Clinically Relevant Information for the Dermatology Practitioner” J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2016;9(4 Suppl 1): S2-S8
- Stadler J-F, et al. “The emerging role of skin microbiome in atopic dermatitis and its clinical implication” Journal of Dermatological Treatment 2019;30(4):357-364.
- M Ali S and Yosipovitch G. “Skin pH: From Basic Science to Basic Skin Care”. Acta Derm Venereol 2013; 93: 261–267.
- Baranda L, et al. “Correlation Between pH and Irritant Effect of Cleansers Marketed for Dry Skin” Int J Dermatol 2002 Aug;41(8):494-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2002.01555.x.
- Baranda L, et al. “Correlation Between pH and Irritant Effect of Cleansers Marketed for Dry Skin” Int J Dermatol 2002 Aug;41(8):494-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2002.01555.x.
- Ceradan Gentle Cleanser. https://www.ceradan.com/product/ceradan-gentle-cleanser/
- Ananthapadmanabhan KP, Leyden JJ, and Hawkins SS. Recent Advances in Mild and Moisturizing Cleansers. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, January 2019, Vol 18 (1), S80-89.
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