Skin pollution: A global consumer concern

Air pollution is a global consumer concern today. Despite decades of progress, air quality worldwide has started to decline. But what is air pollution exactly? It’s a mix of particles and gases that can reach harmful concentrations both outside and indoors. Its effects can range from higher disease risks to rising temperatures. All of that is happening because of the cities.

Urbanization is something that has risen greatly and will continue to rise over the coming decades. According to the UN, 54% of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas with this figure expected to grow to 66% by 2050. The more people move to the cities, the more people will be exposed to urban pollution. At the same time, growing urban populations increase the pressure on city infrastructure. More cars and public transport vehicles lead to higher levels of pollutants in the air. The result is a decline in both air quality and quality of life.

The effects of pollution on the skin

The increase in air pollution over the years has major effects not only on nature, but on human skin as well. Although human skin acts as a biological shield against air pollutants, the prolonged or repetitive exposure to high levels of these pollutants can lead to negative effects on the skin. These exposures have been associated with skin aging, inflammatory or allergic skin conditions (atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, acne) and even skin cancer. Consumers recognize the dangers of air pollution and are looking for ways to protect themselves.

Consumer concerns about skin pollution

Statistics reflect growing concern about air quality: 25% of consumers in the UK and 43% of urban Internet users in India are concerned about local air quality or the effects of air pollution. Equally, 34% of consumers in China who rent a property would like published air quality data about their area.

Statistics have also shown that people are eager to find products that can help protect their bodies from the effects of pollution. For example, in China, 72% of women aged 20-49 agree that it’s essential for urban citizens to use personal care products with anti-pollution claims, and 50% agree they are more concerned about the impact of pollution on their skin than on the environment. A second interesting example is Brazil, where 37% of consumers would like to use hair care products that protect hair from pollution.

Combatting the effects of pollution

So what can we do? Besides care for the environment, one of the things we can do is use products that claim to counter or suppress the negative impacts of pollution, like Provital’s detox duo Keracyn™ and Pronalen Bio-protect. Anti-pollution skin care the particulates in the air that lead to damaged skin. Antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, play a big part in protecting our skin from the effects of pollution in the air. Therefore, incorporating vitamin C serum into our daily skin care routine is highly recommended. The goal of these products is to make a sort of barrier between your skin and the pollutants in the air. With more advanced barrier technologies, the beauty industry can work towards creating products that better defend the skin from harmful, polluting particles.