Skin Areas with Special Needs
Not all skin areas are burdened to the same extent by exogenous factors. In addition, special physiological conditions prevailing in some skin areas such as the hands, feet and armpits additionally affect the need for protection and care.
Hands & armpits
Hands have special demands
In the course of a day’s work in the house, office and garden, the hands are especially burdened by contact with water, surfactants (i) and solvents. In addition, there are physiological peculiarities which result in a greater need for lipids.
Frequent contact with water alone can dry out the skin and severely impair barrier function. Therefore substances that replace lost lipids are important for suitable cleansing and care of the hands.
Excessive burdening of the hands leads quickly to an “overtaxing” of the skin's protection and repair systems and can result in damage to the skin's barrier function. Damaged, cracked, dry and sensitive hands have an increased tendency to develop eczema.
5 -10% of the total population are affected by hand eczema. In the working population the proportion of sufferers is 15 -35%. At 35%, hand eczema is the most commonly reported occupational disease.
Therefore, substances that replace lost lipids, maintain the physiological pH (i) and promote the regeneration process of the skin are important for suitable cleansing and care of the hands.
Deodorizing "care" to prevent body odour
In the armpits (axilla, axi = axis/Grk.) the pH (i) of the skin is ca. 6.5 - well above the physiological pH (i) of about ca. 5.5. For this reason, it is said there is a physiological gap in the acid mantle of this body area. The higher pH (i) influences the growth of bacteria in the armpits. Bacterial metabolism of sebum and sweat produces larger amounts of intense odour-producing substances, which can lead to an unpleasant and strong body odour.
Preventing body odour with a deodorant is a part of daily personal hygiene today, and there are a variety of possible methods for controlling body odour:
- Masking it with perfume
- Controlling perspiration with antiperspirants
- Inhibiting the growth of bacteria with antiseptics or an acid pH (i)
For medical purposes it may be useful to combine antiseptics and antiperspirants with an acid pH (i). The decisive factors especially for medical deodorants are effectiveness of the deodorant and skin compatibility (i) of the ingredients.
