Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1481047
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro app at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 71 ions, it is alkaline. When a solution has an equal number of hydrogen and hydroxide ions, it is neutral. The pH measurement scale ranges from 0 to 14 with number 7 as neutral. Numbers less than 7 indicate an acidic nature while numbers greater than 7 indicate an alkaline nature. The scale is logarithmic, which means each step or number increases by multiples of 10. pH 6 is 10 times more acidic than neutral 7; however, 6 is 10 times less acidic than 5, which falls in the range of the average pH of hair, skin, and scalp. So, when you are using products that are pH 6 or "only one number" away from the average pH of hair, it is actually 10 times less acidic. That's a big di erence. For example, have you peeled an orange and felt a slight tingle as the juice from the orange came in contact with your skin? That's because the pH of an orange is approximately 2, which might be only 3 steps away from the pH of your skin (4.5–5.5) but is almost 1,000 times more acidic than your skin. Lemon juice has a pH of 2.5, considered a strong acid. Diet Cherry Coke has a pH of 3, considered a weak acid. Meanwhile, distilled water has a neutral pH value of 7, although it's higher in alkalinity than the ideal pH of skin. At the top of the scale is 14, which is 10 million times more alkaline than 7. Toothpaste has a pH value of approximately 8.5, while ammonia, a strong alkaline, has a pH value of 12.5. 8 FACTORS AFFECTING pH There are many intrinsic and external factors that can impact the pH of the skin. These include age, the part of the body the skin is on, genetic predisposition, sebum, and skin moisture. The skin's pH plays an important role in its barrier function. When there is a rise in pH to an alkaline level, the barrier becomes compromised. Studies have shown that elevations in the skin's normal pH create an imbalance that 0 10 9 8 7 6 5 11 4 12 3 13 14 2 1 Alkaline Acidic 11 12 13 Your task as a professional esthetician is to use products that help maintain the acid balance of the skin at the 4.5–5.5 acid-range levels.