ARTICLE: Clinical Insights About the Role of pH in Atopic Dermatitis

December 2019 | Volume 18 | Issue 12 | Supplement Individual Articles | 215 | Copyright © December 2019


Charles Lynde MD FRCPC

American Board of Dermatology, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Lynderm Research, Markham, ON, Canada 

Jerry Tan MD FRCPC

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Medicine, Western University, Windsor, ON, Canada, Windsor Clinical Research Inc., The Healthy Image Centre, Windsor, ON, Canada Sandra Skotnicki MD FRCPC

American Board of Dermatology, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Department of Medicine, Divisions of Dermatology, and Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Bay Dermatology Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada Anneke Andriessen PhD

Radboud UMC, Nijmegen and Andriessen Consultants, Malden, The Netherlands 

Jennifer Beecker MD CCFP(EM) FRCPC DABD

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, American Board of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, The Ottawa Hospital, Director of Research, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada 

Joël Claveau MD FRCPC

American Board of Dermatology, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Department of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada; Melanoma and Skin Clinic, Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Quebec City, QC, Canada 

Monica K. Li MD FRCPC

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Enverus Medical, Surrey, BC, Canada and Cosmetic Dermatologist, City Medical Aesthetics Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Jaggi Rao MD FRCPC

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada 

Jennifer Salsberg MD FRCP

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, University of Toronto, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Bay Dermatology Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada Maxwell B. Sauder MD FRCPC FAAD

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Toronto Dermatology Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada 

Catherine Zip MD FRCPC

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, Dermatologist, Dermatology Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada

in AD can be expected to delay barrier recovery and to facilitate barrier breakdown. Several trigger factors may aggravate AD such as irritants (soap and detergents, occupational irritants, and disinfectants), microorganisms, aeroallergens, seasonal changes, and psychogenic factors. Over-bathing and use of cleansers that are not pH-adjusted may contribute to the incidence of AD. The use of a cleanser and moisturizer with a near-physiologic pH (4.0–6.0) may allow for acidification of the skin. Maintaining a physiologic skin surface pH to keep the skin barrier intact, which, in turn, may reduce the risk for AD development and for excerbation of AD flares, is of interest; however, conclusive evidence to support measures to maintain an acidic skin surface pH is lacking.

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