Does Pollution Affect the Skin?
Have you ever noticed your skin getting worse or better depending on your environment? It is quite a common phenomenon that usually has some relation to the seasons. However, some skincare lines are claiming that beyond the forecast, pollution may cause more breakouts or oilier skin. One of the most popular skincare lines creating products to protect the skin from pollution is Dr. Barbara Sturm. The Dr. Barbara Sturm line gets a lot of publicity from celebrities who swear by the products including the popular Anti-Pollution Drops. The drops are formulated to "protect your complexion from particulate pollution and the often-overlooked danger of blue light from our electronic screens. Digital pollution in the form of High Energy Visible (HEV) rays produces highly unstable molecules called 'free radicals,' that damage the skin's natural protective barrier. This not only contributes to dehydration and irritation but also eventually causes a loss in the skin’s elasticity and firmness. This innovative serum contains a special Skin Protect Complex, with extracts derived from Marine Microorganisms to help strengthen the skin’s defense against urban pollution and signs of atmospheric skin aging…when used daily, this serum boosts the skin barrier function and protects against pollution damage.” In this article, I will investigate the studies surrounding pollution and its effects on the skin.
A study from 2019 in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology analyzed the outcomes of basic and clinical research studies monitoring pollutant levels in the skin and hair. Different forms of particulate matter under the umbrella of pollution were analyzed including course matter (from road dust, unpaved roads, forest fires, and waste degradation), fine matter (from fossil‐fuel combustion, industrial facilities, maritime transport, biomass burning, waste incineration, and cooking), and ultra-fine (from vehicle emission and industrial facilities). Additionally, heavy metals, various gaseous pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, and SO2), and various organic components were considered (Berardesca et al., 2019). The uptake of various pollutants via the transcutaneous route was reported similar to those following inhalation. This allows us to confer that dermal uptake is a substantial route of pollutant contamination and according to the study, this impacts the skin tremendously. Firstly, pollution exposures can attribute to decreased levels of vitamin C and E on the upper epidermis (Berardesca et al., 2019). Secondly, it produces higher levels of reactive oxidative species (also known as free radicals) and lower antioxidant levels attributing to abnormal oxidative stress in human skin cells. Finally, skin’s healthy microbiota (microorganisms) decreased by almost 50% following atmospheric equivalent levels of O3 for approximately 2 hours (Berardesca et al., 2019). The findings in this study provide evidence for the claims by various skincare brands including the Dr. Barbara Sturm line particularly the potential for atmospheric aging and impact on the skin barrier as reactive oxygen species and substantial uptake of pollutants were observed.
To further understand the toxicity of particulate matter (and its relation to the skin barrier composed of lipids) on the skin and solutions to counter the damage, a study was done in 2020 looking at pollution toxicity levels and antioxidant treatments such as green tea extracts. The skin barrier is composed of three lipid components — free fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol— stacked in an “ordered three-dimensional structure” (Zhengzheng et al., 2020). The integrity of these fatty components is what keeps the skin barrier intact and properly functioning (without skin conditions and signs of aging). The study analyzed the potential ways pollution affects the components of this barrier and keratinocytes (skin cells) in general. It became evident that particulate matter that comes from coal combustion and crystal dust "up-regulate inflammatory, oxidative-stress-response, and AhR pathways in human primary keratinocytes” (Zhengzheng et al., 2020). Additionally, particulate matter significantly up-regulates many genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, (ACLY, ACSS, HMGCS1, HMGCR, MVD, FDFTl, SQLE, LSS, LDLR) which can disrupt the cholesterol homeostasis of the skin barrier and lead to increased sebum and increased acne (Zhengzheng et al., 2020). Despite the disruption in homeostasis, the study found that green tea was a phenomenal solution to these increased cholesterol levels stating that the experiment showed “when the appropriate concentration of green tea extract was added to PM2.5-treated keratinocytes, many genes up-regulated by PM2.5 [particulate matter] returned to a normal level” (Zhengzheng et al., 2020).
Could anti-pollution skincare be a step of similar importance to daily sunscreen? Research backs the claims of many new skincare lines regarding pollution and the detriments to skin. Reactive oxygen species, potential disruption of skin homeostasis, and integrity of the skin barrier are valid concerns that may catch on if people see benefits from these anti-pollution products.
References:
Araviiskaia, E., Berardesca, E., Bieber, T., Gontijo, G., Sanchez Viera, M., Marrot, L., Chuberre, B., & Dreno, B. (2019). The impact of airborne pollution on skin. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV, 33(8), 1496–1505. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15583
Zhengzheng Liao, Jing Nie, Peiwen Sun, (2020). The impact of particulate matter (PM2.5) on skin barrier revealed by transcriptome analysis: Focusing on cholesterol metabolism, Toxicology Reports, Volume 7, Pages 1-9, ISSN 2214-7500, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2019.11.014.
Urueta, Claudia. “ANTI-POLLUTION DROPS | Dr. Barbara Sturm.” Dr. Barbara Sturm, https://www.drsturm.com/anti-pollution-drops/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2021.
