How Does Air Pollution Affect Your Skin?
The impact of airborne pollution has been a known issue for years, causing widespread debate and outcries for environmental change and reform. However, the topic surrounding air pollution has become a bigger hot button over the past few years, as many are alarmed that the problem is only getting worse. Although the concern for poor air quality is gaining more and more traction, there seems to be little to no accessible solution for us all, and those who live in urban areas with even higher levels of air contamination.
It’s no secret that air pollution has a significant impact on human health. Poor air quality can cause a ton of issues from asthma flare-ups to more severe illnesses, such as lung cancer and heart disease. So there’s no wonder that it can also drastically affect your skin, the human body’s protective barrier. Our skin serves as our primary defense against environmental stressors, acting as a filter blocking the bad, and welcoming the good. Still, this isn’t always easy, and poor air quality can be overwhelming, making its way into the layers of our skin and terrorizing its microbiome.
What Is Our Skin Microbiome and How Does Poor Air Quality Affect It?
Air quality and skincare are directly related. How? Your skin has its own ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and viruses—not to worry! They’re the good kind, helping it maintain its ideal pH and contributing to your skin’s overall health. When air pollution creates an imbalance of these trillions of microorganisms within your microbiome, it can’t effectively fight off harmful external factors like smog and other environmental toxins. As a result, these foreign contaminants destroy good bacteria with pollutants like heavy metals, carbon, and free radicals, sending your skin into a frazzled frenzy.
AQI or air quality index measures the levels of air pollution in a certain environment. If your environment has a high AQI, then your skin will likely suffer the consequences. Disruptions to your skin’s microbiome can be problematic, to say the least, causing problems including but not limited to:
Acne Breakouts
Air quality and skincare can at times cancel each other out. In other words—and we’ll hold your hand as we say this—even if you’re doing your due diligence to maintain clear, healthy skin, it may still experience breakouts because of poor air quality. Pollutants containing microscopic air particles settle on your skin clogging pores and skin irritation. When there’s an abundance of gunk that’s settled beneath the surface, it’s too late; this is when you start to notice pimples appearing seemingly “out of nowhere.” The truth is occasional breakouts are bound to happen as long as air pollution is on the rise.
Inflammation
Your skin’s microbiome is like a member-only party. Imagine all the good microbes there that are familiar with each other (bacteria, viruses, mites, et cetera). They’re getting along fine, vibing harmoniously. Suddenly, air pollution sneaks past security (your skin layers) and crashes the party, disrupting the delicate balance you worked so hard to achieve. These rowdy, unwanted guests have left the place a mess, and your skin is infuriated, or in other words, inflamed. The unsightly redness and aggravating itchiness that accompanies inflammation is even worse for those with eczema, rosacea, and other pre-existing skin conditions.
Dehydration
As mentioned before, tiny air particles settle onto the skin’s outermost layer and seep beneath the surface. In the process, these pollution particles break down lipids, which are your skin’s natural fats that help it retain moisture. As a result, transepidermal water loss takes place, which is essentially your skin losing necessary hydration.
Further, natural moisture factors, such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides which help the skin retain hydration, are depleted as well. The loss of these nourishing elements leaves the skin looking and feeling dry, rough, and flakey.
How Can I Protect My Skin From Poor Air Quality?
Learning how to protect skin from pollution is imperative to its health in such toxic air quality. However, maintaining an inclusive skincare routine that covers all bases, including cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, hydrating, and sun protection can help it stay as resilient as possible, even in the worst conditions.
For starters, make sure you’re cleansing once in the morning and at night. Don’t give the bad bacteria any opportunity to fester and cause issues. Also, if you haven’t already, incorporate antioxidants into your at-home skincare routine. These anti-pollution skin care products include ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, and even green tea leaf extract, which all work wonders for your skin barrier, and help it fight off free radicals.
Have Our Professionals Detox Your Skin at The Only Facial
Sometimes, what you need most is a thorough deep cleanse by caring estheticians. Exfoliating and detoxing the skin gives it the reset it's been needing, freeing it from all the harmful germs and toxins it’s been exposed to. Frequent breakouts, rough or flakey patches, and hyperpigmentation are just a few telltale signs that your skin is desperate for professional intervention.
Air pollution effects aren’t going to soothe themselves—you have to be proactive and protect your health and your skin as much as you can. Book a Signature Facial with our experts and experience for yourself what a beautiful and relieving difference it makes.