Environmental pollution affects everyone, including our skin - as recent studies have shown. If you want to keep it firm and youthful for a long time, you should protect it from air pollution. This is especially true for women who live in big cities. So it's a good thing that the cosmetics industry is increasingly focusing on so-called "anti-pollution" products. But what exactly is behind them and how do they work on the skin?
Polluted air - what happens to the skin
When we think of the negative effects of air pollution, the first thing that comes to mind is the damage caused by inhalation. However, the full extent of the damage to our skin, our largest and most directly exposed organ, has only recently been discovered. The research and development departments of beauty companies have reacted promptly: The English word "pollution" can be translated with the German terms "Belastung" or "Umweltverschmutzung". "Anti" means "against", so it quickly becomes clear what the new creams, serums & co. are all about: they want to counteract skin pollution and the resulting ageing. This is because exposure of the skin to metal particles in the air, caused by combustion processes in cars or power plants, creates oxidative stress in the skin. These particles are ten to twenty times smaller than a pore and can therefore penetrate deep into the epidermis. This leads to the formation of free radicals, which attack the cells and damage the skin barrier. The effects quickly become visible: the complexion loses its radiance and appears tired and gray. Collagen degradation leads to premature ageing, elasticity decreases and wrinkles form. Products with antioxidant active ingredients neutralize free radicals and effectively protect the skin.
Blemished skin? This could be the reason
Studies commissioned by the French cosmetics manufacturer La Roche-Posay have also established a clear link between air pollution and skin prone to spots. The result: the higher the level of pollution, the fuller the dermatologists' surgeries with acne patients - and this is not just a phenomenon in faraway Asia or in huge cities such as London or Paris, but also in Germany! Here too, the cause is polluted air, which causes our sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. The sebum causes bacteria to multiply on the skin, which in turn can lead to pimples. So if you have always wondered about your adult acne, perhaps your place of residence and the associated stress on the skin could be an explanation.
The solution in the bathroom - how skincare can help now
The aim of the beauty routine is to "detoxify" (hence the product name "detox") the skin and protect it from harmful environmental influences. In practice, the tried-and-tested rule applies here: always remove make-up in the evening or cleanse the face well - if necessary with an electric cleansing brush to optimize the result. This not only removes make-up residue, but also all dirt particles that have accumulated on the skin during the day and become trapped in the pores. This helps the cells to recover during the night. A repairing night cream supports this process. In the morning, it is important to use a day cream with a sun protection factor of at least 15 and antioxidant ingredients such as vitamins A, C, E and the enzyme Q10, for example - all of which have proven to be effective free radical scavengers. This promotes regeneration and effectively prevents premature skin ageing. Anyone suffering from "acne tarda", i.e. skin blemishes after puberty, should also use cleansing and care products with antibacterial ingredients that regulate sebum production, such as salicylic acid.