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Why is it important?
The skin aging process, which is induced by environmental factors, is named premature or extrinsic skin aging process and can be distinguished from the chronologically (intrinsic) skin aging process by characteristic skin aging signs. Although human skin acts as a biological shield against pro-oxidative chemicals and physical air pollutants, prolonged or repetitive exposure to high levels of these pollutants may have profound negative effects on the skin. Gender differences in toxicity have been reported for many substances. Children are known to be more vulnerable to the adverse health effects of air pollution. Environmental pollution by traffic is also associated with the occurrence of signs of extrinsic skin aging. Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury are common air pollutants that pose health hazards due to bioaccumulation. Ozone in the stratosphere has protective effects by filtering solar UV radiation; however, in the troposphere ozone has toxic implications for skin. Due to paucity of scientific evidence, there are no established guidelines currently available for protecting the skin against air pollution. Aside from reducing exposure, potential protection strategies should focus on repairing the skin barrier, replenishing antioxidant reserve, and reducing inflammation caused by air pollutants.
Perspectives
Urban people change their environment through their consumption of food, energy, water, and land. And in turn, the polluted urban environment affects the health and QoL of the urban population. Exposure to PM2.5 accounts for about 4.2 million premature deaths in 2016. NOx, CO, SO2, ozone, and VOCs are the most common gaseous pollutants. Short-term exposure to O3 elicits an oxidative stress response in human, which leads to aberrant transcriptional expression of genes consistent with increased skin aging. PM10 contributes to skin inflammation and skin aging via impaired collagen synthesis via generation ROS, which which leads to induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Use of fossil fuels for cooking was associated with skin aging. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an Endocrine disruptor , capable of interfering with hormone related pathways and cause adverse effects. Specified exposomes of atopic dermatitis are humidity, UVR, diet, pollution, allergens, water hardness. Air pollutants together with UVA, can act synergistically in initiation of skin cancers. O3, PM and UVR can directly affect the cutaneous production of vitamin D and also causes dose dependent depletion of antioxidants vitamin C and E in the skin. There is evidence that metals in PM cause DNA, protein damage as well as apoptosis of skin cells through the mitochondria-regulated death pathway. Pb can affect Langerhans cells (antigen-presenting cells in the skin) in the production of interleukin 1β and expression of appropriate surface antigens (CD54, CD86, HLA-DR). Smoker's face typically has lines or wrinkles radiating at the right angles from the upper and lower lips or corners of the eyes, deep lines on the cheeks, or numerous shallow lines on the cheeks and lower jaw. At the end, some of these environmental exposures are preventable by protecting the skin against sun exposure or by quitting smoking, but there are other environmental exposures like air pollution where up to now no protection is available.
Mr. Abdul Kader Mohiuddin
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Urbanization, Environmental Pollution & Skin Aging, American Research Journal of Dermatology, January 2019, American Research Journals,
DOI: 10.21694/2642-2980.19007.
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