Summers have arrived, bringing oily, sweaty, and greasy film on your face. Little exposure to UV light can harm your skin. But it’s not just summers that cause rough, colorless, and older-looking skin, everyday exposure to pollution leads to signs of aging.

Pollution is an umbrella term for all particles and gases that are released by human activity. This includes production processes, cars exhaust fumes, chemicals, petroleum refineries, and cigarette smoke.

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Pollutants are tiny particles that can travel very easily through the atmosphere and settle in water and ground.

Air Pollution levels are getting worse nowadays. The rise in pollution level not just affects your health but also your skin gets affected in various ways. Due to over-exposure to pollutants, your skin becomes dull, experiences clogging pores, dehydration, redness, and other skin issues. This makes your skin difficult to breathe.

There are various side effects of air pollution, but the best documented is skin aging which causes wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. Smog exposure can lead to acne, rashes, and dryness.

In this article, we will guide you to protect your clear and glowing skin from pollution. These are some tips to protect your skin from terrible pollution.

Sun Protection:

Apply sunscreen of minimum SPF 50 that protects you from burning (UVB) and aging (UVA). Sunscreen is the best protection against UV rays. Daily use of sunscreen can lower the chances of skin cancers. However, sunscreen is rich in antioxidants that give full protection from pollution. A sunscreen with the power of antioxidants and good broad-spectrum is the best option for your skin whenever you are stepping out.

Cleansing:

The cleanser helps your skin to fight dryness, hydrates your skin helps to minimize wrinkles and fine lines. Use a cleanser that exfoliates your skin that takes out dirt, impurities, and excess oil from the skin. Select deep cleansing foaming face wash that washes away dirt and grime of the day. Whenever you are coming from outside, cleanse your face, no matter how tired you are, never skip this step in your daily routine.

Moisturizing:

Moisturizer keeps your skin soft and hydrated which helps to minimize dryness and wrinkles. Studies have shown that pollution increases conditions like psoriasis and eczema, for this use moisturizer that provides your skin with long-lasting hydration for healthily hydrating skin.

Skin Nourishment:

Skin needs proper nourishment on daily basis. It reduces skin damage from pollution and improves skin texture. You can make a homemade face mask with natural ingredients like milk, aloe Vera, yogurt, turmeric, and many more. These masks help you fight dull skin and give you a natural glow.

Drink a lot of water:

Drinking water is very important for healthy skin. When you drink plenty of water, your body flushes out the entire toxin, helping you keep your skin healthy. Water purifies skin and gives your skin a natural glow. Drink water whenever possible, it will reduce other skin problems naturally.

Eat Healthily:

Eat right, feel right. We all want to be healthy inside and out, so we should eat a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants fight with free radicals, keeping our skin healthy. Fresh fruits, fresh juices, and vegetables are high in antioxidants, an important anti-aging substance. Vitamins are a good source of antioxidants.

Here are some antioxidants rich food listed below:

• Vitamin C (oranges, strawberries, potatoes, broccoli)
• Beta-carotene (spinach, tomatoes, carrots and winter squash)
• Vitamin E (avocado, papaya, sunflower seeds)
• Zinc (oysters, red meat, and fortified cereal)

Other ways to protect skin from pollution:

Some changes in your lifestyle can also limit your exposure to common pollutants indoors and outdoors.

Smoking: Results in early aging of the skin. Nicotine present in cigarettes can block blood flow to the skin that develops fine lines around your mouth. Even passive smoking is also harmful to your skin.

Ventilation: If you are cooking food, lighting a candle, or smoking inside, you can create a number of external pollutants that can damage your skin. To avoid this, ventilate your home properly by opening your windows and doors regularly for fresh air and you can also install a ventilation system.

Important Tips:
It is difficult to avoid environmental stressors if you are living in populated areas. However, a solid skincare routine can build up skin barriers against nanoparticles. Good anti-pollution products can allow you to maintain a hydrated, smooth, and radiant complexion. Along with this, you must add antioxidant-rich food to your diet.

(By Mr. Rajesh Grover, Co-Founder, Derma Essentia)