Ever wondered what impact exposure to everyday pollution has on your skin?
The British Skin Foundation is doing its bit to advise on the measures you can take to protect your skin.
Dr Anjali Mahto, Consultant Dermatologist and British Skin Foundation Spokesperson, explained: “As skin is your outermost barrier, it is one of the first and largest targets for air pollution.”
It is known that components of air pollution can contribute to premature skin ageing, such as wrinkling and pigmentation spots, and worsens inflammatory skin diseases, such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
So, what can you do?
Dr Mahto recommends:
• Cleanse your skin every night to remove dirt and environmental toxins from the skin surface.
• Exfoliate once weekly (less if you have dry or sensitive skin) to give your skin a deeper clean. This will also improve the penetration of any products that are later applied to the skin.
• Use an antioxidant serum – antioxidants such as vitamin C and resveratrol have the ability to neutralize damage caused by reactive oxygen species.
• Use a regular sunscreen (SPF 15 or above).
• Moisturise daily, particularly if you have a tendency to dry, inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis.
