The Science Behind Hypochlorous Acid
WHAT IS HYPOCHLOROUS ACID?
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a remarkable, all-natural skincare ingredient. This mild acid is an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial that inactivates pathogens including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, yet is so gentle it is naturally produced in the human body.
In the body, hypochlorous is produced by activated neutrophils—the white blood cells that help heal damaged tissues and resolve infections.
Scientists have known about the benefits of HOCl for over 100 years. It was originally used for wound healing in World War I, but was not widely adopted because, outside of the body, the molecule lacked stability; after a few hours, it would break back down into salt and water. Advances in electrochemistry have now made it possible to produce pure, shelf-stable hypochlorous acid.
THE BENEFITS OF SHELF-STABLE HYPOCHLOROUS ACID, ACCORDING TO SCIENCE
- Powerful, ideal wound healing solution (article)
- Reduces the appearance of hypertrophic scars and keloids (article)
- Anti-inflammatory (article)
- Antimicrobial, overcomes pathogens and fights infection (article)
- Slows skin aging and improves thinning skin—"Restores Molecular and Cellular Features of Juvenile Skin" and Enhances Skin Thickness (article)
- Reduces itching associated with eczema (article)
- Reduces demodex mites—an overabundance of these mites on your skin has been connected to conditions such as Acne and Rosacea (article 1, article 2)
HOW OUR HYPOCHLOROUS ACID IS MADE
Our pure, shelf-stable hypochlorous acid is created by placing salt and water in a patent-pending electrolytic chamber and running an electric current through the solution. This current changes the molecular structure of the solution, creating two chemicals: HOCl on the negatively charged side and NaOH on the positively charged side. The HOCl is collected and used in our products. Our process ensures shelf stability for 3 years and imbues ELEKTRICS products with an electric charge that does not fade away.
We use the purest water and salt we can source to ensure the quality of our products. The FDA-registered, GMP compliant, and ISO cosmetic cleared lab where our products are produced carefully controls the entire process to ensure we provide the safest, purest HOCl on the market.
Some other HOCl manufacturers attempt to keep HOCl in the “safe pH zone” by the addition of buffers, but the specialized electrolytic chamber used in the production of our HOCl produces at the specified pH, with no buffers needed (unlike most other brands).
The right pH is the “magic sauce” of our hypochlorous acid products. There is a narrow zone where the electricity is maximized to produce the best results. Each of our products is produced in that zone, with slightly different pHs and salt levels we have specified based on whether the product is used for daily care (Grounded) or aftercare (Shockwave).