5 Effective Tips to Protect Skin From Pollution
05-09-2017 | Posted By: Chhavi | 3559 View(s)
So, you get a good night sleep and then wake up in the morning, you cleanse your pretty face, then you go out and face the wrath of heat, dust and pollution which harm your skin. Now, when you come back to your home, you find yourself looking dull and exhausted. All that charm and glow that was on your face in the morning just vanishes away. However, there are ways which can help you protect skin from pollution.
We all try so many different things to get beautiful skin, isn’t it? But, the dust and pollution make it quite difficult for our skin to heal itself and stay healthy. Now, there is no way to avoid pollution entirely, but we can make some efforts to protect our skin from these dangerous pollutants. Now, before we dig into that, let us first understand how pollution affects our skin.
How Pollution Harm Our Skin?
There are different kinds of pollution, such as air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and so on. There is pollution which you can see and wipe off of your skin, and then there is pollution that comes in gas form, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc. which is not so visible. But, the main fact is that all kinds of pollution can cause damage to your skin.
Pollution can lead to dry skin, clogged pores, skin irritations, inflammation, allergies and even premature ageing. It can even make your skin extra sensitive. One of the major sources of skin damage is air in the pollution which contains toxins that cause the skin of the face, neck and hands to age prematurely and also it makes the skin lose its shine. If you are overexposed to air pollution, then it can even cause asthma, eczema, skin allergies, acne breakouts, blemishes and wrinkles.
Now, pollutants are not only present in the air, but in water too! Then tap water and swimming pools have chlorinated water that can cause harm to your skin. It can lead to dry skin, acne, wrinkles, spots and even allergies.
The types of pollutants can be broken down into two major categories: Indoor pollutants and outdoor pollutants.
Some examples of indoor pollutants are:
-Dust mites
-Carbon monoxide
-Mould
-Air fresheners
-Chemical sprays, such as hair sprays, glass cleansers, perfumes
-Pet Dander
These pollutants can cause dry skin and irritation. So, the best thing that one can do to protect oneself from pollution is to improve the overall air quality by letting maximum fresh air come inside the house. Open windows or doors of your house to let fresh air come in at least once a day. If you live in an area that is heavily polluted outdoors, then you should try to keep the air in your house clean.
Some examples of outdoor pollutants are
-Smog
-Dust, dirt and debris
-Carbon monoxide
-Ozone
-Ammonia
-Nitrous Oxides
-Toxic metals, such as lead and mercury
Pollutants present outside increase the number of free radicals in the environment, which poses a significant threat to our skin. Free radicals can damage our skin cells, leaving us with dry and unhealthy skin. Hence, you must follow some essential tips to protect skin from pollution.
5 Tips to Protect Skin from Pollution
1. Keep your Skin Clean
Cleansing is a significant part of a skin care regimen. Cleansing removes all the dirt and impurities from the skin, leaving you with soft and clean skin. You must choose a cleanser that suits your skin type. For instance, if you have dry skin, then you should use a creamy facial cleanser that can keep your skin hydrated. Those who have sensitive skin can get benefit from using an alcohol-free facial cleanser. If you have oily skin, you can use an acidic facial cleanser.
The bottom line is that not using a cleanser that suits your skin type, can create more problems, So, pick a product that suits you and cleanse your face with it not once, but twice! Yes, you read it right. You must wash your face twice, i.e. once in the morning and then before going to bed and then pat dry.
2. Exfoliate
If you want to protect skin from pollution, then you must scrub it away. And you can do it very easily and efficiently by scrubbing your skin. If you exfoliate your skin on a frequent basis, it can reverse the adverse effects of pollution and help you get rid of dead skin cells that make you look dull. When you scrub your skin, it removes the dead skin cells, cleans your pores and also removes the dirt and debris, leaving you with healthy, supple skin. So, exfoliate your skin regularly to get healthy skin
3. Stay Hydrated
The beauty mantra of all actors and models is drinking at least 3 litres of water every day. Drinking water is indeed one of the best ways to get smooth, healthy skin. Water helps in flushing toxins out of the body and also allows the cells to absorb the nutrients required to keep the skin healthy. Additionally, water makes the skin look clean by restoring what is lost due to sweating and perspiration. Your skin should be moisturised and hydrated always. So, drink plenty of healthy fluids throughout the day to get flawless skin.
4. Use a Sunblock
If you want to protect the skin from pollution, then it is best to apply sunscreen whenever you go out. Most people have this habit of using sunscreen only in summers, but they should know that sunscreens are to be applied throughout the year. If you are overexposed to the sun, then it can cause wrinkles, tan and even skin cancer. You should always wear sunscreen if you want to prevent these skin problems.
5. Take care of Your Diet
People who have beautiful skin always take care of their diet, because they know what they eat will reflect on their skin. Antioxidants and vitamin C rich foods fight free radicals and work to protect our skin from pollution. So, you must eat foods rich in vitamin C and antioxidants as they are good for your skin. Some of the foods you can try are mustard, spinach, fresh fruits, peanut butter, broccoli, lemon, kidney beans, cilantro, etc.
It is almost inevitable to avoid pollution. But, if you follow these tips on a regular basis, your skin can be protected from pollution to a certain extent. After all, prevention is better than cure!
