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Anti-pollution cosmetics

Scientists use a new term, 'exposome', to refer to the impact on a person's health caused by exposure to external agents: chemical substances, radiation, stress, pollution, food, cold, heat... This indicator, Defined in 2005 by Christopher P. Wild, current director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it has been extended to dermatology because it is clear how many of these factors alter the good condition of the skin. In fact, they are responsible for 85% of the signs of skin aging.

In urban environments, pollution is, together with UV rays, the first cause of premature aging. More than 80% of the European population is subjected to pollution levels that exceed the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). In Spain, cities such as Malaga, Gijón, Murcia or Valencia, along with Madrid and Barcelona, ​​exceed these recommendations. "There are more and more publications that claim that these environmental toxins affect skin tolerance," says Inmaculada Vivó, technical director of Germaine de Capuccini.

Types of pollution

Three can be distinguished that affect the skin:

1. That of the sun, whose most damaging rays are ultraviolet.

2. Atmospheric pollution: made up of all the toxins discharged into the environment by human activity: industries, cars, tobacco... Those particles that are harmful interact with each other creating other pollutants. “Some particles are smaller than the pores of the skin and enter preventing oxygen from entering the cell and affecting the melanocyte, so that, on the skin of people who live in cities, spots that are not from the sun are detected. , but from contamination”, explains Inmaculada Vivó. All these toxins also decrease the ozone layer.

3. Domestic pollution: heating, air conditioning, wall paints, cleaning products... "In addition, the surfactants in bath gels remove dirt from the surface of the skin, but also skin lipids," warns Vivó.

Biotherm has overseen studies with women in some of the world's most polluted cities and knows how it affects skin function and appearance. In fact, when comparing the skin of these women with that of others who live in uncontaminated areas, they have identified six types of damage that this atmosphere produces on the skin: more visible pores, oily skin, acceleration of oxidative stress (premature aging), dark spots , brittleness and roughness. “The skin is porous and allows the passage of contaminating elements, some of which remain in the epidermis. The skin weakens, the barrier function is damaged and the pores become clogged. The skin is no longer able to combat the aggressions caused by toxins and literally suffocates”, explains Caroline Nègre, director of scientific communication at Biotherm.

What does an anti-pollution cosmetic have to have?

María Segurado, dermatologist and advisor to Nivea, gives us the keys: “Anti-inflammatory effect to calm what particles, gases… cause on the skin. Also antioxidant agents that fight free radicals and regenerate the skin's own defense system. Lastly, moisturizing active ingredients to avoid the feeling of tightness and dryness produced by the polluted environment”.

It is also recommended to pay special attention to cleanliness. It is always key, but more so if the skin is in contact with a particularly dirty atmosphere. That is why a light product that drags little more than makeup is not enough. Dr. Segurado recommends a deep cleaning and introducing into the routine "an exfoliant for daily use with small drag particles and moisturizing agents".