Sunday, August 28, 2016

Protecting Your Skin From The Haze in 4 Easy Skincare Tips


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!