A New Taipei City doctor has advised pregnant women and young children to avoid long exposure to the outside during periods of poor air quality.
The Environmental Protection Administration has recently issued orange and red air-quality alerts for parts of western Taiwan, which means air quality would be poor enough to be harmful to the skin of some people after long periods of exposure, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital dermatologist Tsai Wen-chien (蔡文騫) said.
A high concentration of fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) can accelerate skin aging and cause skin diseases to worsen, he said.
Photo: screen grab from the Environmental Protection Administration Web site
“If children and pregnant women are exposed to air pollution for a long time, it may increase the risk of atopic dermatitis,” he said.
Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema, is a condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin.
Suspended particles, sulfides, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants in the air can aggravate skin aging, causing problems such as increased facial pigmentation and deepened wrinkles, he said, adding that air pollution can also exacerbate common skin diseases such as acne, baldness and psoriasis.
“Research has shown that children exposed to high concentrations of PM2.5 for long periods are at 1.6 times greater risk of developing eczema,” he said.
“If pregnant women are exposed to certain pollutants such as nitric oxide, the risk of neonatal eczema increases by 1.5 times,” he said.
Indoor air pollutants such as second-hand smoke, formaldehyde and the smoke from burning coal are also harmful to the skin, he said.
Tsai advised those at risk to avoid outdoor activities when air quality is poor, and to wash clothes after returning home, to prevent skin contact with residual pollutants.
Eating fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C and E, and polyphenols, can reduce the damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress to the skin, he said.
However, there is no scientific evidence supporting claims by skincare manufacturers that their products can reduce damage from air pollution, he said, adding that customers should exercise caution when buying such goods.
With changes in seasons, temperature and humidity, the skin gradually adjusts the amount of sebum it excretes, the amount of water it retains and the thickness of the stratum corneum to adapt to environmental changes, Tsai said.
“However, the skin might not have time to adjust when the weather changes rapidly. Therefore, it is recommended to use sun protection and moisturizing products,” he said.
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