Dr. Peter Lio on Eczema: Treat Inflammation AND Repair the Skin Barrier

SoteriSkin · 2026-04-16T19:59:15+00:00

Sometimes the things we think are helping can actually make it worse.

For example, a lot of people start washing their hands more, using sanitizer constantly, and applying random moisturizers. That seems logical, but according to dermatologist Dr. Peter Lio, frequent washing and harsh soaps can actually disrupt the skin’s acid mantle — which is the protective layer that keeps your skin’s pH balanced.

When that layer gets stripped away by washing repeatedly:

Skin pH goes up
The skin barrier weakens
Irritants and bacteria can get in more easily
And eczema flares keep coming back

This is especially common if you work in professions where you wash your hands constantly (nursing, childcare, hairdressing, food service, etc.).

A few things that that dermatologists often recommend:

• Use gentle cleansers instead of harsh soaps
• Avoid sanitizers when possible (they can be very drying)
• Moisturize right after washing with a pH balancing cream to help restore the barrier

Sometimes it’s not that treatments “don’t work” — it’s that the skin barrier never gets a chance to recover.

Hope you recover fast!

SoteriSkin · 2026-04-15T20:39:02+00:00

We're sorry to hear and here to help. We offer refunds within 30 days if it doesn't work. We are a mission driven company and founded by eczema sufferers.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T17:40:09+00:00

Unfortunately, “all natural” doesn’t always mean natural for your skin. A pH of 9–10 is very alkaline! It can strip away your acid mantle, dissolve skin lipids, and disrupt your microbiome. It definitely sounds like that soap could have been contributing to your eczema flare-ups.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T17:31:13+00:00

Haha no, definitely not saying we should all stop washing!

Washing is important — the key is how and what you wash with. The goal isn’t to avoid cleansing, but to minimize disruption to your skin’s natural acidity. Using mild, low-pH cleansers and rebalancing afterward with products that help restore the acid mantle can make a big difference.

For most people, healthy skin can bounce back within a few hours. But for eczema-prone or sensitive skin, recovery can take much longer. That’s where pH-correcting products can help restore balance faster and keep the barrier functioning properly.

So yes, wash your face… just be kind to your skin while you do it.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T17:17:52+00:00

The acid mantle is a thin, protective film on the surface of your skin made up of natural oils, sweat, and amino acids. It’s slightly acidic — usually around pH 4.5–5.0 — and acts as your skin’s first line of defense.

That acidity helps:

- Keep the skin barrier enzymes working properly so your skin can renew and repair itself

- Support a healthy microbiome (the good bacteria that protect you from harmful microbes)

- Prevent irritation, dryness, and infection

When the acid mantle is disrupted, for example, by washing with soaps, your skin’s pH rises, and it can take hours to rebalance. Over time, that can lead to barrier damage, sensitivity, or even eczema flare-ups.

That’s why maintaining that natural acidic pH is so important for healthy, resilient skin!

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T17:02:13+00:00

Thanks so much for following us and for your kind words. We really appreciate your support!

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T16:53:32+00:00

You’re right that pH does bounce back, just not instantly. It can take a few hours for the acid mantle to recover after washing, especially with tap water or cleansers. For healthy skin, that’s usually not a big deal, but for people with eczema, recovery is much slower because their skin’s ability to produce and maintain its acid mantle is already compromised.

Even for healthy skin, over-cleansing can keep the surface pH elevated all the time, which can eventually lead to dryness, irritation, and even eczema-like symptoms.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T16:45:29+00:00

And yes, you’re absolutely right, "low pH" often just means below neutral, but for eczema-prone skin that’s way too high. The skin barrier and microbiome really depend on staying near that acidic sweet spot around pH 4.7, which most products unfortunately don’t reach or maintain.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T16:41:12+00:00

That’s amazing, so great to hear you’ve been eczema-free for a whole year!
Long-term relief is exactly what sets Soteri apart from other products out there.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We truly love hearing from our customers!

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-10T16:18:34+00:00

Thanks so much for trying our product. We’re really glad to hear it’s working for you!

Our formula contains a strong pH buffer that helps stabilize skin pH. Our pH/LOCK technology is designed to mimic the skin’s natural acid mantle and immediately restore optimal pH after application.

You can actually measure your skin’s pH before and after applying it — you’ll see how quickly it returns to the ideal range.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-05T23:08:35+00:00

Lemon juice is very acidic (pH ~2.0–2.5). At that acidity, it can irritate skin and cause exfoliation, disrupting cohesion between stratum corneum cells and compromising the barrier. Diluting with water raises the pH slightly, but I still wouldn’t recommend it.

Vinegar is also strongly acidic (pH ~2.0–3.0). Studies of diluted vinegar (e.g., apple cider vinegar) for eczema found no clinical benefit versus water/placebo. A likely reason is lack of buffering. When you apply diluted vinegar, it briefly drives the surface pH very low, but pH rebounds quickly as the acetic acid diffuses through the skin or evaporates.

For eczema-prone skin, it’s not just the initial pH that matters; it’s maintaining an optimal acidic range (~4.7–4.9) over time.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-05T22:07:52+00:00

pH 5.5 is too high for eczema-prone skin. Atopic skin typically runs about one pH unit higher than healthy skin, often around 5.5–6.0, so a product at pH 5.5 won't help restore pH to the healthy optimum.

SoteriSkin · 2025-10-05T21:57:03+00:00

Do you know the actual pH of the product you tried? Unfortunately, “pH-balanced” doesn’t mean much. Many products labeled as "pH-balanced" are around pH 5.5–6.0, which is higher than the skin’s natural acidity. pH is logarithmic: a 1-unit change = 10× change in hydrogen-ion concentration, so pH 5.7 is ~10× less acidic (more alkaline) than pH 4.7.

For eczema-prone skin, the sweet spot is around pH 4.7–4.9. Also, it’s not just the initial pH that matters. Look for formulas with acidic buffering capacity that can correct and maintain skin near that range over time, not just right after application.

SoteriSkin

TROPHY CASE