Skin Enemy No #1 is no longer just the Sun

Recent studies have shown that the sun is not the only enemy of the skin. While the sun remains Enemy No. 1 for skin cancer and skin ageing, there is another silent aggressor that surrounds us every day.

Research has shown that Infrared (IR-A) as well as Visible Light may also be harmful to the skin but what is less well known is that air pollution may also be harmful to the skin and can cause premature ageing. Until recently not much has been written about the effects of ozone pollution and how it affects our skin health.

“What is less well known is that air pollution may also be harmful to the skin and can cause premature ageing”

Most people are aware of stratospheric ozone – this is the good ozone that occurs naturally in the earth’s upper atmosphere and protects us from the sun’s harmful UV radiation. It cuts out the shorter wavelengths like UVC completely but does allow UVB and UVA to come through.

What is less well-known is ground level or tropospheric ozone which is formed by the interaction of sunlight, particularly with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides which are typically emitted by motor vehicles, coal fired power stations, factories and veld fires.

“Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are typically emitted by motor vehicles, coal fired power stations, factories and veld fires”

As can be expected in South Africa the highest levels of pollution occur in the Highveld with corresponding high levels of ground or bad ozone occurring in these areas. Coastal cities such as Durban and Cape Town have much lower levels of pollution but it does not mean there is no ozone pollution in these areas as wherever there is traffic, and chemicals from everyday life the skin is at risk.

“As can be expected in South Africa the highest levels of pollution occur in the Highveld with corresponding high levels of ground or bad ozone occurring in these areas”

Ground level or bad ozone damages the skin causing what is called oxidative stress to the proteins and lipids in the stratum corneum and current research shows that it can cause depletion of natural antioxidants in the skin such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E.  The role of antioxidants is to protect the skin against free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors.

Ozone pollution causes an inflammatory cascade which causes premature skin ageing in the form of fine lines and wrinkles, excessive oiliness, rough texture and increased sensitivity. A recent study has shown that patients living in heavily polluted cities in Asia have a greater chance of developing sun freckles on their faces.

“Ozone pollution causes an inflammatory cascade which causes premature skin ageing in the form fine lines and wrinkles”

Sunscreen on its own is no longer enough to protect your skin and I would routinely recommend using a topical antioxidant such as SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic or SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF in the morning together with one of the SkinCeuticals broad spectrum sunscreens according to your skin type. This would protect you from ground-level ozone as well as from ultraviolet and Infrared (IR-A) radiation.

For added protection you could use SkinCeuticals Resveratrol BE at night when the skin undergoes its reparative process as you sleep.

We need a paradigm shift in our thinking when it comes to how we protect our skin from all environmental aggressors that cause premature ageing.

SkinCeuticals provides some sage advice:

We know that a daily application of an excellent, broad-spectrum sunscreen is vital.

Keep in mind that SUNSCREEN DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST DAMAGING IR-A RADIATION OR OZONE POLLUTION. Both can generate free radicals deep inside the skin and can be as damaging as UV.

To ensure comprehensive protection from the various environmental aggressors, it is advised to combine your daily sunscreen SPF 50, with a topical antioxidant solution (together they protect against 96% of ALL damaging free radicals).

Tips for selecting the best quality Vitamin C antioxidant solution: (Guidelines, the Duke Parameters for stability)

• High concentration (must be over 8% to be effective)

• Chirally correct form of Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid)

• Low pH (under 3.5) must be in a water-based solution to have a low pH.