For over two millennia, people have been cleaning their skin with substances other than water. From the Bible, we know that tree bark ashes were used at one time. By the 13th Century, Italian soap makers began using animal fats and beech ash. By the 18th Century, ash was mostly replaced with another, much-stronger alkali, sodium carbonate. It seemed from the very onset that alkaline-based agents were to be an irreplaceable component of soap. To this day, most off-the-shelf soap is produced by some combination of an alkali and animal fat (usually harvested from the carcasses of sheep and cattle). It wasn’t until about 100 years ago that research in dermatology told us that the skin’s pH is in fact acidic. Normal, healthy skin maintains a pH of 5.5 as a means of protection against bacterial infection. This discovery created a paradox that is still very much in effect today, that cleanliness does not necessarily effect healthiness. In fact, it can be said that to clean your skin with ordinary soap is to make your skin unhealthy!
Once the skin’s pH is neutralized by soap, the skin loses its preemptive protection against bacterial infection. In its natural state, the skin’s surface maintains a pH of 5.5. This pH is attributable to various acidic secretions, including perspiration, sebum (oil), and hormones. This naturally acidic environment on the skin’s surface makes for a hostile place for bacterial growth. In fact, so long as the skin’s pH remains at 5.5, it is extremely difficult for bacteria to flourish. And yet, despite the skin’s natural protection against bacterial growth, the most common source of bacterial inflammation on the skin, acne vulgaris, is being diagnosed in record numbers of patients. The problem is getting worse every year, and the culprit has been right under our noses: ordinary, household soap. Soap, for all its cleansing powers, has a history rooted in alkalinity. When applied to the skin, oil and dirt is washed away, but an unwanted side effect remains. Soap’s alkaline properties come into contact with the skin’s acidic hydrolipidic layer, and the two opposing pH’s counter each other, leaving a pH-neutral environment and, together with the skin’s rich resources, a surface ripe for infection. The elimination of the skin’s preemptive immune system does more than create a fertile world for bacteria. In the absence of the hydrolipidic layer, fungal and viral infections are free to propagate, harvesting living tissue to feed their expansion on the skin. Tinea pedis (Athlete’s Foot) and Human Papillomavirus (warts) are common infections on unprotected skin. Additionally, though much more research remains to be done in the field, the absence of the skin’s first line of defense, the hydrolipidic layer (or “acid mantle”), has repeatedly shown an increased likelihood of histamine reaction with allergy sufferers, as well as a marked increase in the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis for those who suffer from these skin disorders. In fact, nothing can be gained from the elimination of the acid mantle. It is a natural defense that must be preserved for those with sensitive skin. It is with this mission that I founded KAVI Skin Solutions: to educate the public about the delicate chemistry of their skin and to provide a working solution for the millions of people suffering every year from acne, eczema, psoriasis, and a multitude of skin allergies. Today, KAVI has grown into a successful pharmaceutical company with two labs and a manufacturing plant. Our skin care research and development has extended into anti-aging pathology where we are focused on cellular synthesis and hydration. Though we’re working to solve some of dermatology’s toughest problems, we’re proud of our small company status and the direct customer service we’re able to provide our clients, large and small. I hope you find our website informative and I encourage you to try our line of KAVI products. Sincerely, Kaveh Alizadeh Founder, KAVI Skin Solutions, Inc. |