Protecting Your Skin From Pollution

Air pollution has been the world’s problem for a while now and we are certainly feeling its effects on our environment and on our bodies. Your skin is under assault from the environment’s pollution and its toxic elements. The effects of pollution on you can range from increased irritation responses, earlier aging, and even skin cancer. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact substances that cause these effects on our skin, because pollution is made up of hundreds of different ones from pesticides to synthetic chemicals. However, we can protect our skin from pollution’s harmful effects.

Here are four anti-pollution measures you can take to protect your skin:

UV Protection – Due to pollution, our planet’s natural protection from the sun’s harmful rays (the ozone layer) has diminished. This makes us more prone to exposure to the negative effects of UV rays. Using sunscreen becomes more important than ever. This means that you should apply a layer of sunscreen with SPF 15 before stepping out onto the sun. You should also re-apply regularly. You should also wear protective clothing that can shield your body from UV rays, and sunglasses to protect the thin layers of skin around your eyes.

Antioxidants – Oxidation on your skin means aging. The wrinkles, fine lines and sagging result from a high number of free radicals in your skin, resulting in oxidation and stress. Creams, serums and ointments that contain vitamins A, C, D and B-complex can be applied as these vitamins are full of antioxidants. Foods like green leafy vegetables, lean salmon, berries and nuts also contain the same vitamins. You can also take vitamin supplements to help with your dose of these antioxidants.

Cleansing – Soaps don’t clean your face completely, and can in fact do more damage than good. Cleansers on the other hand are formulated with your facial skin in thought. Cleansers remove the dirt and grime and pollution on your face without completely drying it out like soaps do. There are many types of cleansers out there and it’s important to find what’s best for you depending on your skin type.

Visiting your Dermatologist – Your dermatologist is the expert on protecting your skin against pollution. He or she can recommend skincare regimens and treatments that can help reverse the effects of the toxins in the environment. Not only that, your dermatologist can also check your skin for any possible cancerous or precancerous moles that can become problematic. It’s important to have regular skin checks and to have a good relationship with your dermatologist.