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While the effects of toxic air on our health should be our number one priority, it doesn’t hurt to minimise the harm it’s having on our skin too. Ultraviolet light, infrared radiation and pollution are unwelcomed factors of city-living, and are common causes of damage to the skin on a cellular and tissue level, including accelerated skin ageing, pigmentation and inflammatory conditions including exzema and acne.
With the help of Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, board-certified NYC dermatologist and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, Lane Crawford curates the ultimate skincare ‘fight back’ in five simple steps.
1
“Antioxidant-rich serums can neutralise harmful free radicals caused by pollution - but not all antioxidant serums are made equal. Formulating a product that has antioxidants is actually a challenge: It needs to have a high antioxidative capability, a high enough concentration and be stable enough in formulation. One of my favourites is cult antioxidant serum SkinCeuticals' C E Ferulic®,” shares Dr. Levin.
2
“Sunscreen still remains the number one way to protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation,” explains Dr. Levin. “Unfortunately, most people not only do not apply enough sunscreen but also do not reapply consistently. Therefore, the amount of UV protection you are receiving from sunscreen is actually lower in practice than what is on the label. Not only are people not applying enough or as often as they should, but broad-spectrum sunscreen does not provide enough protection against free radicals. For this reason, look for a sunscreen with antioxidants or apply an antioxidant serum before your sunscreen.”
3
“If you live in a pollution heavy city, retinols and alpha-hydrox acids, like glycolic acid, are ideal mainstay skincare ingredients for effective treatment of pollution-triggered issues such as pigmentation and accelerated ageing of the skin,” explains Dr. Levin. “Therefore, if your skin can tolerate it, these ingredients should be incorporated into your skincare routine.”
4
“In the past several years, there has been increasing data to support that low-level light therapy (often referred to as LLLT) can improve minimising free radicals, which works by activating chromophores in the skin called cytochrome c oxidase which eventually increases antioxidant proteins,” explains Dr. Levin. “Other in-office procedures that improve pigmentation and ageing of the skin from the effects of ultraviolet, infrared radiation, and environmental stressors are laser resurfacing and photo-facial treatments.”
5
Don’t let that toxic air drag your skin - and your mindset - down with it. “We know that pollution is a trigger for antioxidant formation as well as mental stress. Living in a city like Shanghai and Hong Kong really requires you to not only incorporate antioxidants and sunscreen in your skincare routine - but also de-stress with activities that enhance your mental and physical wellness,” shares Dr. Levin.
