Studies have confirmed that pollution leads to free radical generation in our skin, which significantly contributes to development of lines, wrinkles and irregular pigmentation.
Pollution has also been shown in studies to increase the number of emergency room visits with skin related problems such as eczema, urticaria (hives) and cutaneous infections. This might be related to the known ability of pollution to impair our skin natural barrier function on contact.
Airborne pollution contains many chemicals identical to cigarette smoke (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter for example). Traffic related particulate matter (PM) has been shown to be able to penetrate the skin surface and affect its functions at lower cellular levels. These particles can also serve as ‘Trojan horses’ by releasing surface-bound chemicals into our skin, causing increased oxidative stress and subsequent damage.
The combination of urban pollution and UV exposure is particularly harmful for the skin. And in addition to that certain kind of air pollutants (photochemical oxidants) are actually worse in the summer. Also – the skin generally becomes oilier in summer, so the combination of oily shine and urban pollution makes the skin feel even ‘dirtier’.
As almost all London boroughs repeatedly fail EU air pollution targets, at Eudelo we developed a special anti-pollution facial (which is a dermatology grade facial!) to help people living and/or working in London to protect their skin from urban aggressors and help their skin to stay healthy – ‘The London Pollution Protector’.
Whether you have a medical skin condition which needs treatment or simply want to look your very best, our specialised dermatology team will help you achieve the very best result.
