Why does skin get itchier with age? Look at its pH

Itchy skin is common later in life, even with no rash to explain it. The authors wanted one simple picture of why.

They wrote a narrative review. That means they read and brought together earlier research on aging skin, its pH, its bacteria and itch. They did not run a new experiment or test any product.

Aging skin gets thinner and drier. It makes fewer of its own fats and repairs itself more slowly. So it loses water faster and gets irritated more easily.

Its surface gets less acidic. The review says this slows the enzymes that build the barrier's fats. It also speeds up enzymes that loosen the outer layer, weakening the barrier further.

Its bacteria shift. A less acidic surface favors bacteria that like those conditions and can add to irritation. Protective resident bacteria become less common.

Nerves become more sensitive. The authors say a weak barrier, shifted bacteria and busier enzymes add up. Together, they make the skin's nerves quicker to send itch signals.

They suggest that bringing skin back to its normal acidity is a logical way to approach this kind of itch.

If your skin itches more than it used to, this review suggests it may be linked to slow changes in your skin's surface that come with age.

It also suggests that caring for older skin may be less about quick relief and more about protecting its barrier and its bacteria. Itch that lasts, or keeps you up at night, is worth checking with a doctor.

• This is a review of earlier studies. It proposes a chain of cause and effect but does not prove it.
• It adds no new tests of whether making skin more acidic eases itch in older people.
• Competing interest: the paper states that one author works with a company developing skincare designed to restore skin pH. The other author declares no conflicts.

This review traces itch in older skin back to a slow loss of natural acidity, which leaves the barrier weaker and the resident bacteria less protective. Seen this way, itch is the end of a chain that starts years earlier.

That is why we think about skin that ages well, not quick fixes. The Hydrolytic® Enzyme is made to support the barrier and the balance of your skin's own bacteria. The enzyme assess your skin's pH and becomes more active depending on this level. 

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