As a part of Zhou Nutrition’s series on Apple Cider Vinegar, today we’ll be studying the association between ACV and dry skin.
For various reasons, dry skin may appear on the face, the back of the knees, wrists, hands, and feet. Over time, it may thicken and appear dry and scaly. Additionally, for dark-skinned people, perpetually dry skin may affect the skin’s pigment.
Dry skin can cause itching and redness and may occasionally cause the skin to blister or peel, and dry, cracked, itchy patches of skin are painful enough to make anyone want to try at-home remedies to find relief ASAP. As a result, some are turning to apple cider vinegar. ACV can help rebalance the acidity levels in skin while also reducing the risk of infection.
Background on Dry Skin
Dry skin may sometimes be caused by allergy-promoting proteins in commonly eaten foods that aren’t fully digested in the stomach. Some foods with allergy-promoting proteins include milk and cheese, eggs, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate and even beef. Especially when coupled with a damaged intestinal lining (leaky-gut syndrome), these proteins can pass through the intestinal lining into the bloodstream and cause the body to react by releasing histamines. This will produce an allergic reaction in some individuals that could result in dry skin. Dry skin also results in a lack of hydration in the skin that worsens the longer the condition lasts.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Dry Skin
There are no studies on the effect of drinking ACV to alleviate dry skin, although some reports suggest that drinking diluted ACV may help digestion and support the repair of the intestinal lining.
One thing to note is the fact that some cosmetics and detergents raise the pH of the skin, which can be a contributing factor in the introduction or worsening of dry skin. Even using simple tap water has shown to decrease the pH of the skin, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that using apple cider vinegar on the skin can excel in balancing the skin’s pH.
For reference, on the pH scale, anything below 7.0 is acidic, and anything above 7.0 is alkaline. According to the National Eczema Association, healthy skin has a natural pH of 5.0. People who suffer from dry skin typically have a higher pH than those without and may help with lowering it In addition to that, when dry skin is present, the skin’s natural acidic barrier doesn’t function the same. Moisture escapes and irritants have an easier time entering the skin.
Dry Skin and Apple Cider Vinegar
Removing any known allergenic substances in the diet is the first action to take. Following that, slowly adding a little ACV to a glass of water during meals may increase acid in the stomach and slow down digestion enough to help break down the proteins more completely before being released into the intestinal tract. A report suggests that eating a salad with vinaigrette dressing may also support greater digestion of proteins in the meal. On mild skin irritations, one woman found relief from soaking in a vinegar bath, although it may be beneficial only in mild cases.
How should I implement ACV for skincare?
The National Eczema Association offers two options to adding apple cider vinegar to a skincare routine.
The first: an apple cider vinegar bath. They advise adding two cups of ACV to a lukewarm bath and soaking for 20 minutes. Subsequently, one should completely rinse the body with cool water and apply a fragrance-free moisturizer.
The second: an apple cider vinegar wet wrap. Mix a solution that contains one cup of warm water and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Then, apply the solution to cotton fabric or some sort of gauze to apply to the skin. Cover that dressing with a clean & dry cotton fabric, and wear for either 3 hours or overnight.
All that said, we don’t advise jumping headfirst into apple cider vinegar, as too much all at once can do more harm than good. We recommend doing some research into ACV, it’s benefits and side effects, and perhaps turning to a low dose supplement to start out. We at Zhou Nutrition have a wide variety of beneficial supplements for most nutritional needs. Visit our website to learn more about the benefits of apple cider vinegar.
If you’re interested in snagging all the benefits of ACV without the potent taste, check out Zhou’s Cider Detox for an alternative that’s easier on the taste buds.