Overcoming Skin Damage from Pollution via Novel Skincare Strategies

Urban pollution is one of the main problems encountered worldwide, with a major impact on public health as well as the environment. The health impact of urban pollution is not limited to respiratory conditions but also encompasses major skin problems, including irritation, skin ageing, and skin cancer. Toxic gases and particulate matter are the main pollutants that exhibit extensive local variability. The aforementioned pollutants are small particles that attach to the skin or penetrate it, enhancing free radicals' production inside the inner skin layers. This urges the need to propose cosmetic products that help prevent and/or minimise pollutants' effects on the skin, whether irritation, ageing, and cancer. Furthermore, intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to skin irritation and ageing. Intrinsic factors are within skin factors and include genetic and physiological characteristics of individuals. Moreover, extrinsic factors comprise environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, and smoke. Subsequently, active ingredients with anti pollutant properties addressed the intrinsic and extrinsic factors by four mechanisms: free radical neutralisation, film-forming ability, skin barrier enhancement, and fortification. Such ingredients include vitamin A derivatives, vitamin C derivatives, carbohydrates, and plant-based products. Yet, very limited studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the aforementioned active ingredients against irritation or ageing, which should be considered in future work.

Automated summary

Urban pollution is a global problem that has a significant impact on public health and the environment. Aside from respiratory conditions, it also causes skin problems such as irritation, aging, and skin cancer. Toxic gases and particulate matter are the main pollutants that can attach to or penetrate the skin, leading to increased production of free radicals. A need for cosmetic products that can prevent and minimize the effects of pollutants on the skin is essential. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to skin irritation and aging, and active ingredients with anti-pollutant properties can address these factors through various mechanisms.