Contaminated air destroys the skin!

Contaminated air is harmful not only to internal organs, but also to the skin. What is the impact of urban smog on its condition? Polluted air has destructive effects on our health - we all know about it. But its influence on skin condition is less obvious. Many people don’t realize how powerful and damaging this effect is by assigning their skin problems to imagined ailments. Let's take a closer look at this dependency and let us answer a few questions related to it Smog - a silent killer The smog consists mainly of falling dusts PM 2.5 and PM 10; sulfur, carbon and nitrogen oxides, as well as aromatic hydrocarbons (including benzopyrene). There is also ozone in smog, which can transform into free radicals (compounds harmful to health). The PM 2.5 and PM 10 molecules penetrate the body through the lungs and then settle on the blood vessels, which in the long term may result in problems with the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Smog exacerbates the symptoms of asthma, causes respiratory failure and promotes respiratory infections. It can also become a direct cause of cancer or infarction. The most carcinogenic compound in smog is benzopyrene, which is particularly harmful to pregnant women. How does smog affect your skin? Smog not only causes health problems. It also has considerable impact on the skin, because PM2.5 molecules have a destructive effect on the hydrolipid coat, which is its protective barrier. Contaminated air stimulates the body to release free radicals, which correspond to, among others for premature aging of the skin. It also damages epithelial cells, reduces the amount of hyaluronic acid molecules (it dries the skin), destroys elastin and collagen fibroblasts, thus directly affecting its elasticity and firmness. Smog sometimes causes discoloration of the skin, which is caused by impaired functioning of melanocytes (for more information on melanocytes, see multirelation.com ). Hypersensitivity of the skin Urban smog also increases skin sensitivity to external factors. In large agglomerations, dermatological clinics record a growing number of clients with atopy, rosacea or just hypersensitivity to the skin. These afflictions are often conditioned by a polluted environment. Polluted air isn’t only a health problem but also an aesthetic one. To some extent, however, you can protect your skin against the harmful effects of smog. It’s worth to wear special masks in the period of increased concentration of harmful dust in the air, and also to ensure that in the rooms where you spend a lot of time, there are plants.