Haze and skincare tips
Is your skin looking dull and your pores getting clogged very
quickly these days? I've got bad news for you-the haze is back. Again.
You may already be familiar with the damage that the haze does to
our airways and eyes. However, the impact of the haze particles on our skin is
not to be negated. Every year, I see an increase in haze-related dermatological
problems in my patients and so I've
compiled a simple FAQ on how to protect your skin at home from the haze.
What are some of the common skin problems due to the haze?
·
clogged pores
·
blackheads
·
dry skin
·
skin redness
·
pimple/acne outbreaks
·
eczema flares
·
irritable/sensitive skin
·
rough skin texture
·
dull skin
·
premature skin aging (e.g. fine
lines and wrinkles)
·
flare up of inflammatory skin
conditions (e.g. psoriasis, eczema...etc)
What is haze?
To understand how haze wreaks havoc on the skin, it is important to
understand what exactly haze is.
Haze is a mixture of air pollutants, dust particles and smoke
suspended in air. These particles are usually less than 10mm in size. Haze
resulting from forest fires has a high concentration of these fine particles
and can remain in our atmosphere for weeks.
The air pollutants in haze are often referred to as "smog"
and consist of a noxious chemical mixture of ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen
dioxide, sulfur dioxide as well as other pollutants. Smog is what irritates our
eyes and makes us cough.
How does haze affect my skin?
Haze damages our skin in more ways than one.
The toxic particles in the air contain free radicals that exhaust
the skin's oxygen supply. Your skin cells need these oxygen molecules for
normal functioning and when deprived of oxygen, premature aging results.
Collagen and elastin in the skin become depleted and skin loses its elasticity
and wrinkles can develop-Think of the discolouration that happens to an
oxidised apple after it has been cut. Free radicals also cause DNA damage in
cells, affecting their ability to heal. Diseases linked to free radical damage
include cancer, heart disease and dementia.
The dust particles are also a major culprit in skin damage. You know
that grime that you can wipe off from your face? Those clogged pores and dull
skin? That's due to the dirt and dust in the air coming into contact with your
skin and building. Unfortunately, this layer of gunk also irritates and
destabilises skin, causing acne and pimple flares.
It is a myth that the haze blocks out UV rays. In fact, dust
particles are also known to intensify sun damage from UV rays. UV rays bounce
off dust particles and become scattered in the atmosphere- meaning that the UV
rays are intensified because of the haze.
What can I do at home to protect my skin?
Maintaining good skin hygiene and skincare habits can reverse some
of the damage done by the haze. Here are the 4 simple but crucial steps that I
personally practice to protect my skin during the season of the haze:
1) Cleanse
Having clean skin vital to having healthy skin. Double cleanse your
skin with a makeup remover and gentle facial cleanser to adequately remove all
that dirt and grime that are causing your clogged pores and dull skin. Your skin
may be more sensitive and irritable during this period, so please remember to
be gentle with your skin!
2) Antioxidants
Free radicals in smog rob skin cells of their vital oxygen supply,
causing accelerated skin aging and loss of collagen has been well documented in
many studies. In recent years, there has a been a revolutionary development to
defend against these harmful free radicals- Antioxidants.
There is an comprehensive article on the antioxidants and their
mechanisms here
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
In summary, antioxidants protect our skin at different levels by
preventing free radical formation, scavenging free radicals and repairing DNA
and cell damage. Some common antioxidants include Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid),
Vitamin E, Niacinamide and Resveratrol.
My personal favourite, as you can see from this photo on my
table (excuse the amateur photography!),
is Skinceuticals' CE Ferulic. This synergistic combination of antioxidants- 15%
pure vitamin C, 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid is my preferred choice in
the day time to fight free radical damage.
At night, I switch to another potent antioxidant combination-
Skinceuticals' Resveratrol B-E. This contains both Resveratrol and Vitamin E
and works well for my sensitive skin.
3) Moisturise
Having well moisturised skin is especially important during this
period. Moisturiser application acts as a physical barrier between the skin and the environmental pollutants
and free radicals, thereby acting as a double defense.
4) Sunprotection
Diligent sunprotection can minimise the damage by UV rays. Choose a
broad spectrum sunblock with SPF above 30 and reapply every 3-4 hours if you
can.
What else can I do for my skin?
So if you've done all that and your skin's still dull, dirty and
irritable? Pimple and acne flares not getting better? It is worthwhile to
consult your doctor to see how your skin can be treated in order to prevent
your skin condition from worsening.
Some of the common treatments that I recommend my patients to clean
and control their skin conditions are :
1) Hydrafacial
The Clifford Clinic's award winning Hydrafacial consists of a
comprehensive, non invasive treatment that combines a patented hydrovortex
exfoliation and extraction technique together with delivery of antioxidants and
hyaluronic acid in to the skin. This works very well for clogged pores,
blackheads and white heads, dull skin and pimple/acne outbreaks.
2) Dermaplaning
I've previously shared about dermaplaning here :
http://drgerardee.blogspot.sg/2016/03/dermaplanning-exclusive-treatment-in.html
By exfoliating the epidermis and removing the skin of dirt particles,
skin is immediately cleaner and brighter. This is ideal for patients who have
dull and rough skin. Also, without the dead skin cells and dirt particles,
penetration of skincare products is improved.
3) Laser
With pimple and acne flares, laser is very helpful to improve
control and prevent scaring. Laser also
promotes collagen rejuvenation, erasing away the effects of premature aging and
achieve a more even skin tone.
4) Chemical Peel
http://drgerardee.blogspot.sg/2016/06/chemical-peels-for-acne-and-pigmentation.html
You can read about my comprehensive review of chemical peels here.
Essentially, problems like pigmentation, clogged pores, dull skin, scars and
acne control can be addressed with chemical peels
I hope you have found my tips useful in protecting your skin from
the haze. Please stay healthy everyone!
