The Effects of Pollution on your Skin

The Effects of Pollution on your Skin

Most of us know about the damaging effects of the sun to our skin, but not many of us are aware how dangerous pollution is. You may have noticed when moving to Chengdu, or other big polluted cities (Beijing, London, New York etc) that you began to experience eczema, dry skin, acne or the worsening of dark spots.

This is because the skin is being exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and environmental air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), and cigarette smoke.

Although human skin acts as a biological shield against these chemical and physical air pollutants, the prolonged or repetitive exposure to these may have profound negative effects on the skin. Aside from short term effects, it damages collagen levels, increasing age spots and wrinkles.

What can you do about it?

We are increasingly aware of which masks and air purifiers help safeguard our lungs, but what can we do to protect our faces and treat eczema, dry skin, acne or dark spots caused by Chengdu’s pollution?

1) Clean it off

We all know we should wash our face, but many of us don’t know exactly what we’re doing. Experts recommend using a mild cleanser every morning and evening – only people with very oily skin need something stronger. Natural dead sea products are ideal for cleansing because the dead sea salinity levels are high allowing it to act as a disinfectant, purifying the skin’s pores by driving out all the gunk including dead cells, dirt, pollution, stale sebum and germs that collect and form acne, blackheads and white heads. Brands such as Clinique and Innisfree also offer a gentle alternatives and are widely available here.

Then ensure you routinely have a deep clean; either by using a mineral peel, a soft skin brush or having a deep clean pollution facial. The goal is to get everything off without too much scrubbing, drying or irritation, which can exacerbate skin conditions like acne.

There is a clinic that use dead sea beauty products, Intensive Spa Clinic in the Global Centre – which specialises in deep cleansing facials to target the effects of pollution, helping with sensitive, dry and irritated.

2) Neutralise it

When pollution gets into your skin, it creates free radicals, highly unstable molecules that have unpaired electrons. Respected Dermatologist Dr. Draelos explains that “they literally poke holes in the collagen, which is what gives skin its firmness”. All this destruction also shows up as hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and fine lines. Free radicals can also increase inflammation, which makes acne and rosacea worse.

There is an answer: antioxidants

Dead sea salts are rich in bromide and zinc, which are nutrients that can donate an electron where needed, effectively neutralizing the free radical and diminishing its havoc-wreaking effects on your skin.

To help protect skin, layer on a serum with antioxidants after cleansing in the morning, and do the same at night to bolster its repair process.

Also, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries, leafy greens and beans. They play a powerful role in our body’s ability to repair itself, particularly the skin.

3) Create a barrier

We are all probably aware we should be wearing sunscreen – especially when it’s sunny but even when it’s not. But it’s especially important in highly polluted areas – as UV rays become accelerants: If you have hyperpigmentation or inflammation caused by pollutants, UV will make it even worse.

There are great moisturisers that already have SPF (at least 30 is recommended) or add a drop of sun screen to your daily moisturiser.

Clean it off. Neutralise it. Create a barrier. Protect yourself from the city’s harmful pollution.

With thanks to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology – “Aging in a Polluted World” and “Air pollution and the skin”, Drakaki et al, 10.3389/fenvs.2014.00011) for some of the infomation in this article.

f you have any questions about any of the products or treatments in the article please contact skin specialist Maayan Levy (WeChat ID: MaayanLevy) or follow Israeli Oasis for more tips on how to treat and protect your skin in Chengdu.

Scan QR below for more info