Acid mantle is a mixture of secretions of the skin on the surface of the skin. Sweat and sebum form the acid mantle. The normal skin pH is 4 to 5.5, so it is acidic. This mixture, which is acidic, is called acid mantle. The acid mantle protects the skin from bacteria. Bacteria get killed by the acid and cannot damage the skin. If you strip the skin of its acidic mantle by using strong alkaline soaps/cleansers, bacteria will find it easy to attack the skin. Moreover removing the acid mantle disturbs the distribution of dead cells on top of epidermis. This is called stratum corneum. The structure of cells in the dead skin cells layer gets disturbed and the bacteria find an easy passage through to the epidermis. Normally these dead cells protect the skin against such damages. The skin is a miracle. These dead cells if allowed to accumulate will make the skin look very bad, but if totally removed, the skin is left defenseless to an extent. We have to arrive at a fine balance in maintenance of the skin.

Sebum plays an important role in making skin oily. The sebum is produced by sebaceous glands. Those who have oily skin, need to address two concerns-

How to remove excess oil from the skin?

How to keep the acid mantle healthy?

Let us first know more about sebum. Sebum is produced by sebaceous glands. These glands are found on most parts of the body. Except few, most sebaceous glands open into a hair follicle. Sebum production decreases with age. Particularly in women, it reduces after menopause. Adult females produce less sebum than men. In men, sebum production may experience jump at the time of puberty. Increased sebum production can cause acne.

There are some common theories about sebum. Some people believe that drying excess sebum with blotting oils will reduce sebum production. Some believe that if you use products designed to control oil production that will increase sebum production. Both are wrong conclusions. Drying excess oil will only remove surface oil. And using oil control products will not increase sebum production. In the next article we will find out about methods of oil reduction and skin care.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.