Effect of pH on the production of irritation in a chamber irritation test.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between alteration of skin surface pH and the development of skin irritation. Application of a phosphate/borate/acetate buffer adjusted to pH 4.0-10.5 in a standard chamber irritation test did not result in significant clinical irritation. This was true in spite of maintaining a markedly altered skin surface pH over an extended period of time. There was also no correlation between irritation and the pH of applied surfactant solutions. These results demonstrate that a prolonged disturbance of the "acid mantle" is not sufficient to produce clinical irritation.