Pollution and skin ageing!!

Pollution is ageing your skin. 

Commuters and City dwellers  are exposed to the skin ageing properties of pollution every day.Pollutants’ are attacking the moisturising proteins in your skin, and will ultimately make you look older than your actual age. Skin moisturising proteins explained - Your skin retains water within these natural moisturising proteins to keep them flexible. Each stratum corneum cell is a flexible sack of proteins. Without water, the proteins lose their flexibility and become rigid. The skin becomes rough to the touch, even cracking in severe cases. Water helps increase the flexibility of the proteins so the cells can relax to a smooth surface that begs to be touched.

According to  new scientific research Urban pollution could age women’s skin 10% faster than those who live in the country. The findings, based on a study of 200 women aged 30 to 45years of age  in Beijing and rural China, also shows that poor air quality triggers more dermatological skin conditions and found a correlation between spikes in air pollution and a surge in the number of patients suffering from urticaria /  hives. Separate German research in 2010, which compared the skin of women in urban and rural areas, found the former, who lived among higher pollution, had more evidence of hyper-pigmentation, or age spots, than the countryside dwellers.

The industry’s big concern with pollution focuses on particles. The pollutants in city air were previously thought to be too large to break through the skin’s barrier but now scientists think tiny particles known as pm 2.5 can actually penetrate the skin. These tiny particles cause the frequent haze in city air, and now it’s thought they also destroy keratin proteins that protect the skin from losing moisture and cause premature ageing.

High levels of pollution may cause defects in the functioning of our external skin barrier, which is fundamental to the ageing process within the skin. Irritants from fumes of cars and smog result in a worsening of dermatitis and other skin conditions such as eczema, while if you’re breathing in a lot of carbon monoxide this can reduce the oxygen supply which in turn ages the skin, similar to the effects smoking has on the skin. Pollution also damages the collagen that helps skin to stay elastic and prevents wrinkles and ageing.

Women in China and South Korea wear surgical masks when outdoors walking on the street to protect against pollution. It started as SARS FLU prevention – now they continue to wear the masks to combat the exhausts and toxins of city air. High fashion face masks were also on display at this year’s Paris Fashion Week, with Chinese designer Masha Ma adorning models with Swarovski crystal-studded masks to go with her urban-chic collection at China’s fashion week this autumn.
We need to look after our skin like never before to protect against pollution and premature ageing. Cult skincare line SkinCeuticals  was  designed especially for skin exposed to harsh environmental factors such as city living, specifically targeting free radical damage caused by pollution and Ultra violet light leading to premature ageing and poor skin function.

Over the years our bodies are trying to adapt to the barrage of pollution / additives / stress / antibiotics etc which has led to a lot of skin problems and allergies

To protect against the ravages of pollution you need to protect your skin. To begin cleaning your skin correctly is essential .Double cleanse with a cream cleanser, then a cleansing gel wash using a fresh wet white face cloth to be sure any pollution is removed and then regular facials to deep-clean the skin, or an enzyme based exfoliation at home to dissolve the dead surface skin layer where any pollution will be trapped.

Skinceutical antioxidants help to prevent skin damage from the inside out.

UV rays, infrared radiation, pollution, and lifestyle factors generate damaging free radicals that prematurely age skin. SkinCeuticals antioxidants neutralise these unstable molecules, acting as a second line of defence against photo-damage and accelerated skin ageing. In addition to preventing damage, SkinCeuticals antioxidants have been proven to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, laxity, and hyper-pigmentation by neutralising free radicals and stimulating collagen production.

Protect with effective UV protection against photo-ageing

The SkinCeuticals line of sunscreens provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Formulated with Z-COTE transparent zinc oxide, skin is protected from the entire spectrum of damaging UV rays, not just sunburn. Unlike the pasty, white zinc oxide sunscreens of the past, SkinCeuticals sunscreens are formulated with cosmetically elegant textures.

Facial treatments

A SkinCeuticals skincare professional has access to pharmaceutical-grade treatment products that can be used to customize any facial treatment or at-home regimen. Available exclusively through authorised SkinCeuticals skincare professionals, these targeted solutions enhance and maintain the results of at-home products and other professional procedures to optimize the health and beauty of skin.
Benefits
• Customise any SkinCeuticals regimen with pharmaceutical-grade targeted treatments
• Enhance the results of a SkinCeuticals home care regimen and any salon peel procedures
• Tighten and detoxify skin
• Restore a firm, youthful radiant complexion