Is Pollution Keeping You From Great Skin? Fix That Now!

The bad news—your skin can be exposed no matter where you live. The good news—we can help you protect your skin and prevent damage caused by pollution with a few easy skincare steps.

Women living with a higher level of pollution had 20% more hyperpigmentation.

Let’s talk about what you’re up against. The amount of damage pollution can do to your complexion correlates to the amount of pollutant particles in the air. (Currently, that count is at more than 600 billion metric tons, with levels on the rise.) And because pollution is comprised of very, very, very tiny particulate matter (or PM), it travels super quickly thru the air. So even if you don’t live in a city, you’re still affected by its pollution.

At Origins, we’ve been studying the effects of environmental stress on skin for over 15 years. So we know what we’re talking about. We’ve partnered with universities and hospitals all over the world. And recently reached out to Dr. Jacqueline Modine, head of occupational medicine, epidemiology and prevention at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, who helps put into layman’s terms how exactly pollution causes skin damage:

• Pollution basically explodes upon contact with your skin. This damages your moisture barrier which can lead to irritation & inflammation and creates openings where other environmental aggressors like UV rays—and their aging effects—can sneak in.

• It can age you before your time. Tons of bad stuff like metals, acids & chemicals travel on PM. They dissolve in skin’s sebum, then sink in to cause swelling & redness. They can even change how the body repairs itself (i.e. early onset age spots). A study that found women living with a higher level of pollution had 20% more hyperpigmentation. “Age spots are a defense mechanism,” says Dr. Moline. “And these don’t occur overnight.”