Protect yourself from pollution-related pigmentation with these simple tips | Life-style News

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Dr Rajan added, “Air pollution is in the news. But for many of us, we have been living in areas with very high air pollution and particulate matter pollution for several years. These types of pollution have been linked to a number of pigmentary conditions such as melasma, overall photo tanning, increased sunspots, and specific dermatological conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.”

In fact, according to Dr Rajan, the most common cause of pigmentation-related photo ageing in Asian women has been thought to be linked to increased particulate matter and air pollution.

Now, how can we make your skincare routine strong enough to protect against particulate matter and air pollution?

Pollution has been linked to a number of pigmentary conditions such as melasma, overall photo tanning, and increased sunspots. (Source: Freepik)

Step one– never miss wearing sunscreen. This is the single most important thing that you have to do to prevent the interaction of UV rays radiation and particulate matter pollution from wreaking havoc on your skin.

In a similar line, Dr Shah said, “Sunscreen is the cornerstone in the treatment strategy against pollution-induced pigmentation but just by itself a sunscreen alone cannot help reduce the pigmentation. One needs other supplements like antioxidants, depigmenting creams, and other skin-lightening treatments according to one’s skin type. Preferably, a broad-spectrum sunscreen gives the skin a shield against UVA, UVB, and infrared rays. Some sunscreens contain added ingredients like Ectoin, Uvinul, and iron oxide which further potentiate their sun protection effect.”

The second step is to introduce an exfoliator, which can do a great job of getting rid of the day-to-day pollution and oxidation damage on the skin’s surface.

Concurring, Dr Shah noted that gentle exfoliation assists in removing pollution particles that are often lodged on the surface of the skin and at times in between the skin layers and stop them from deeper penetration. “However, vigorous exfoliation can cause micro-abrasions (cuts) on the skin and induce further inflammation and pigmentation, a condition known as Frictional Hyper melanosis.”

The third step is to introduce activites that have some free radical scavenging potential, especially if you are living in areas of high urban pollution. Since particulate matter pollution is a key cause of pigmentation, you need to proactively introduce pigmentation-controlling agents in your skincare routine.

Agreeing, Dr Shah said, “Bioactives (biological actives) lighten and even out the skin tone. They help in reversing free radical-induced skin damage. Actives also reduce photodamage caused by sun exposure, help in skin hydration, and reduce and delay the wrinkling and crinkling of skin.”

The best way of having antioxidants is consuming naturally coloured fruits and veggies. (Source: Freepik)

Last, but not the least, everything starts and ends with diet. Hydration is an important factor. You need to have somewhere between 2 to 3 litres or more water depending on how much you sweat in this weather. You also need to have an antioxidant-rich diet, so you can protect yourself from the inside out.

Additionally, Dr Shah said that the best way to have antioxidants is by consuming naturally coloured fruits and veggies. “A good recommendation would be a “rainbow coloured diet” or a 4-coloured diet that includes red, yellow, orange, and green-coloured fruits and veggies. These foods are a rich source of antioxidants like reservatol, astaxanthin, beta carotene, and glutathione, which help reduce the pollution induced pigmentation by quenching the reactive oxygen species and neutralising the oxidative stress of the skin,” he added.

Furthermore, he mentioned that good hydration will help improve a dry and withered-out skin barrier and aid in pigment reduction. “In fact, GLOW itself means – green leafy veggies, oranges, and water.”

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