Although many environmental factors including UV exposure, temperature, humidity, water quality, indoor heating and air conditioning can affect the skin, one factor that seems to be creating a buzz is pollution. Our skin is assaulted daily by visible pollution such as smog, car exhaust, and smoke. We’re also bombarded by particulate matter too small to be seen by the naked eye. These tiny particles travel through the air, collecting pollution and chemicals before landing on our skin. Although the particles may be too large to penetrate our skin when they make contact, it is the contaminants that have the potential to damage by generating oxidative stress and creating free radicals.
A 2010 German study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology involving 200 women living in a busy urban area with high traffic pollution and 200 women living in a rural area determined that city dwellers had significantly more pigmentation and more pronounced nasolabial folds (deep wrinkles along either side of the nose). Short of moving to the country, what can city dwellers do?
Common sense suggests you take a two-pronged approach: cleansing and then taking steps to defend and repair the skin. Although using your gentle soap-free cleanser should be sufficient to remove the day’s dirt from your face, you may want to switch up your routine by trying an exfoliating cleanser , adopting a two-step double cleansing technique or adding a facial cleansing tool.
To defend and repair your skin, sunscreen and antioxidants are both key. We’ve long been advocating these as the cornerstone to any anti-aging skin care regimen. Potential damage from pollution just gives us one more reason to get up on our soapbox.
As major skin care companies turn their focus to protecting their clients’ skin from air-borne pollution, we’ll be seeing more creams and treatments containing sunscreen filters and antioxidants at the cosmetics counters. And because North Americans are fond of multi-tasking, expect to see a deluge of time-saving products with an all-in-one approach.
Don’t be alarmed, though. If you’re using an effective broad-spectrum sunscreen and an antioxidant serum daily, plus cleansing your skin well before calling it a night, you’re already doing all the right things, pollution or no pollution.
