Impact of pollution on skin health and how to stay protected

Air pollution can have a multi-facet effect on human body. It not only impacts our internal organs, but also can significantly harm our skin. Since our skin becomes the first point of contact for all external particles, it absorbs more pollutants than any other organ of the human body and thus its exposure to pollution for a longer period can result in serious skin diseases. The impact of pollution can vary from people who have normal and healthy skin to those who already have some form of skin condition like eczema, psoriasis, acne or zoonosis.

Impact on Different Skin Types

Air pollution can contain both large particles and small particles. When people with normal skin are exposed to high level of air pollution, large particles go into the fold of the skin like around the eyes, nose, neck region and armpits, leading to a skin condition called Contact Irritant Dermatitis, causingirritation, excoriation, ulceration, secondary infection, scaring, etc. On the other hand, small particles, that are invisible to the naked eye, get absorbed into the skin through the pores and can cause inflammation inside the skin like in the epidermis or dermis leading to eczema, a long-term problem that can affect the immune system from inside.

For people with dry skin, air pollution can be more irritating especially during cold months when the pollution level is higher. Dry skin can be impacted more by the pollutants in the atmosphere, leading to irritation, scratching and worsening skin conditions. On the other hand, for people with oily skin, the sebum on the skin traps the air particles inside and make a layer on the skin. If this additional layer is not removed, it can cause acne, inflammation, etc., and block pores as well. However, in an attempt to get rid of this layer, skin often becomes dry- leading to irritation and other conditions mentioned above.

Impact on Skin Conditions

The impact of air pollution can be even more serious for people who already have some sort of skin condition. For people who have internal eczema, the irritation from the top of the skin and from inside can coincide; thereby, aggravating skin conditions like increased scratching and inflammation. Hence, people with eczema may suffer the most in high level of pollution like the patients of asthma. People with psoriasis can also suffer significantly due to air pollution. The autoimmune skin condition causes affected area to become scaly or itchy. This impacts the skin barrier and make way for external dust particles to enter the blood through psoriatic patches leading to inflammation and worsening of the skin.

How to Protect Your Skin?
To protect the skin from air pollution, moisturizing your skin is essential. One must pick a moisturiser that sits well with their skin type and build a healthy moisturizing routine. Furthermore, to keep the skin healthy people should avoid perfumes and deodorants as they can be potentially irritating and with pollutants they can cause worsening effect to the skin. Also, we recommend using hydrating soaps like cream bar soaps and avoid using soaps which are very alkaline.

You can also add a step of oiling to the routine. Herein, we suggest oiling your skin before bathing. Allow the oil to seep into your skin for 15-30 minutes before bathing with a gentle cream soap bar. Follow this with a moisturizer on slightly wet skin for complete care.

In a nutshell, the impact of air pollution is not only restricted to the health of an individual like the respiratory system, but it can have a significant impact on the skin health too. Therefore, by taking proper preventive measures and adopting an effective moisturizing regime, one can keep their skin protected from pollutants.

(Article Courtesy: Dr Sanjay Agarwal, Consultant Dermatologist, CMRI)

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