Your Web site states that a
ph below 2.5 can cause skin damage. Another website states that they
have the best quality glycolic acid peels with a pH of 1.9. Can you
explain to me why I would be better off and safer to use your products?
Also, does the skin need a neutralizer after a peel?
Our peels are formulated by a physician, and it has been determined
that the proper pH for a peel should be between 2.5-3.0 for the most
effective (UL)and(/UL) safe peel.
For this reason, we only sell peels with the proper level of
pH. Lower pH levels mean more acid, but more acid does not make a more
effective peel. More acid strips the skin and causes an imbalance of
the skin natural acid barrier, which in turn damages skin instead of
stimulating the skin to rejuvenate itself.
There has to be a balance of the pH with the skin to actually
get the best results. Others are selling low pH peels to uninformed
consumers thinking that the lower pH makes it sound like a stronger or
better peel. They do this to make money and sell to people who think
that more acid means a better product. This kind of advertising is not
only irresponsible but dangerous.
Obviously, we could have peels made with a lower pH or with a
higher strength of glycolic acid, such as 50% or above. We could do the
same thing as some of the other companies in order to make money, but
we are more interested in creating and selling a safe and effective
product and educating our customers on the proper and most effective
way to rejuvenate and maintain their skin. We are first and foremost
concerned with our customers improving their skin and with the safety
of our products.
Normal skin is pH 4.5 to 5.5, meaning it is moderately acidic.
The pH of the skin certainly differs throughout different parts of the
body. If something comes into contact with the skin that is either too
acidic or too alkaline, the skin's natural protective barrier (the acid
mantle) is affected. Barrier recovery is slowed, damage is prolonged,
and skin problems will arise, such as skin peeling, rashes, irritation,
etc. Average pH of the skin is different for everyone because not
everyone’s skin is exposed to the same conditions such as weather and
harsh detergents.
Most good skin care products are formulated for the skin with
a pH that falls within a range that should not affect your skin
adversely. Your skin will usually normalize itself within a couple of
minutes to a couple of hours after using such products. pH-neutral is
7. This is the pH of pure or distilled water. A product with a pH of 7
will not affect the pH of the skin at all! Most skin care products fall
within a range that allows them to affect the skin slightly to achieve
the desired affects of the product without irritating the skin or not
allowing it to normalize within a short period of time.
That is why we stress using Glycolic Acid peels falling within
the pH range of 2.5-3.0! There are some Glycolic Peels and other
products on the market with a very low (acidic pH) and these products
are actually doing more harm to the skin than helping it!
A note about pH levels: Physicians who
have been doing peels for years have determined that for a peel to be
effective, the pH should be between 2.5 and 3.0 (for fast-acting peels
- this pH does not apply to products meant to be left on the skin
overnight).
Fast acting Peels with pH levels
above 3.0 are not effective (they don't exfoliate the skin enough for
the short time they are on the skin), and
Peels with a pH below 2.5 are not only not effective, but are actually
damaging to the skin (the acid content is not balanced and the skin is
being damaged instead of peeling effectively, and this defeats the
purpose of using peels to improve your skin).
Our peels are perfectly balanced between 2.5 and 3.0 for the most effective and potent peel on the market!
We are also one of the ONLY sources on the Internet selling peels with the proper pH level for maximum effectiveness and safety.
Let's explain exactly why a fast-acting skin peel MUST be pH balanced to between 2.5 to 3.0 for best results:
The skin's outer layer is called the STRATUM CORNEUM. Glycolic
Acid actually penetrates this outer layer of skin to reveal plump,
healthy-looking skin.
BUT, this outer layer also contains most of the skin's natural
anti-aging, antiwrinkling, and anti-bacterial protection, and it is the
skin's primary sun screen.
The skin also depends on the hydroplipid barrier to retain
water, and an acid mantle, made of sweat, mature skin cells, bacteria,
and sebum.
The hydrolipid barrier and the acid mantle are protective seals
on the skin and were never meant to be broken, but are commonly
destroyed by overuse and improper use of high strength skin care
regimens and low pH acid products.
New cells forming beneath the surface of this skin need the
protection of this outer layer to develop properly and be healthy when
they arrive at the surface.
If a substance is used that repeatedly degrades the important outer
layer of the skin, the new cells are continuously being damaged and
arrive to the surface in a dried out, unhealthy state, which eventually
will show up on your skin in the form of dry skin, wrinkling, uneven
skin tone, etc.
So, for those of you who want to believe that higher acid
concentrations and lower pH is good for your skin, you will be paying
the price later.
It is important to take a moderate approach and use a skin peel
with a more balanced pH between 2.5 and 3.0, and wear a sunscreen daily
if using exfoliants on your skin.
Proper use of carefully formulated skin care products, sold by
companies who care more about skin care than misleading the public with
a lower pH product, will keep the skin clear of debris, stimulate new
skin cells instead of destroying them, stimulate new collagen to
thicken the skin instead of thinning and destoying the skin, and
maintain the health and beauty of your skin for the long-term.
The idea is to improve the skin, not damage it!
To neutralize the acid after a peel, simply rinse the skin with
lukewarm water.
Water has a pH of around 7.0, making it highly alkaline. The alkaline
nature of plain water is a very simple and easy neutralizer for acid
peels. Most Doctor's offices simply neutralize a peel with gauze pads
soaked in water and applied to the skin.
For soothing the skin after a peel, first, rinse the skin
thoroughly with cool water and apply a moisturizer. A lot of people
like to apply the Cucumber Ice Sorbet Mask after a peel to soothe the
skin and minimize any mild inflammation, but a simple moisturizer is
just fine to use too. The Cucumber Ice Sorbet Mask contains a small
amount of Salicylic Acid, which acts as an anti-inflammatory on the
skin, calming down the inflammation and speeding healing of the skin.
Salicylic Acid is a component in Aspirin, so it is like using an
Aspirin on your skin after a peel.
