Living in a city has its charm but it turns out that it can be damaging for your skin because of air pollution. Do you know how smog affects your skin? Check what traces it leaves on your face.

Some time ago a misty morning was perceived as something magical. Today, we get up, look out of the window and we wonder  it’s fog or maybe toxic smog..

What is smog?

Smog is a kind of fog mixed with smoke and various types of pollutants (mainly gases and dusts) derived from coal combustion emissions, vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, and so on.

It is extremely dangerous for our health so it’s advisable to monitor smog levels in your area. It relates especially to the people who live in big cities, where smog is a common phenomenon.

What are the main components of smog?

Smog contains only harmful substances. Scientists discovered in it about 2.8 thousand various chemical substances (depending on the place it occured). Among them, the most harmful is particulate matter of various sizes (from PM2.5 to PM10). The smallest particulate matter is considered as the most dangerous because it is hard to protect from it.

Why is smog dangerous?

It has already been proven that thick and viscid smog can cause various types of cancer, including melanoma. It has also negative impact on the respiratory system and heart beat. Also, it lowers our immunity and increases the risk of allergies. Unfortunately, it is still not everything.

Protection in the form of anti-pollution masks is not enough. Smog has a strong influence on our complexion.

How does smog affect your skin?

It is necessary to know that dust and pollutants in smog can have a negative impact on the proper functioning of the skin and accelerate the aging processes. Living in a city leaves traces not only on its appearance, but also on its health. Not only that, smog also hinders proper skin detoxification, which may lead to skin cancers  (in extreme cases).

The visible effects of smog on the skin:

1. WRINKLES – pollution and free radicals are the two factors that cause premature skin-aging. They damage the collagen fibres causing deficiencies of hyaluronic acid. As a result, the skin becomes less firm and elastic, hence the wrinkles appear.
2. REDDENING OF THE SKIN – smog irritates the skin and damage its natural protective barrier. The result is severe irritation and redness, which is particularly painful for people with AD.
3. ACNE – the pollutants accumulate on the skin and block the sebaceous glands, being at the same time extremely difficult to remove during standard skin cleansing. The result is an ideal environment for bacterial growth. These days toxins are becoming a common cause of adult acne.
4. GRAYISH SKIN – the complexion of the person living in a polluted city is easy to recognize as it is tired, doughy, discoloured and dull. Permanent contact with smog makes the skin lose its vitality and become poorly nourished and dehydrated which is reflected in its appearance.