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Research Outline
Prepared for Ming Z. | Delivered August 12, 2019
Environmental impacts on skin
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Goals
To find scientific evidence on the impact caused on skin by various environmental factors such as the sun, water, air pollution, and others. This information will be used to write detailed articles.
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Early Findings
SUN EXPOSURE
A large proportion of recent scientific studies on the environment's impact on the skin cover
sun radiation impact.
According to research, the sun is responsible for
90% of
damage to the skin.
The skin aging process can be either
extrinsic or intrinsic
. It is well known that
the sun
leads to extrinsic skin aging.
Excessive sun exposure can also cause skin cancer and it has been found tha
t 90%
of nonmelanoma skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
This type of skin aging is called "
photoaging"
and is now considered a special field of research in the larger extrinsic skin theme.
Research in this field has been profound in the last few years and there was proof that skin aging has different effects on
distinct populations and ethnicity.
It is known that sun exposure increases the
risk of skin cancer,
but the risk depends on the type of skin. People with lighter skin have lower levels o
f melanin
in their skin, which provides them with less natural protection against UV radiation.
Dermatologists classify skin types into six categories, from I
being the lightest.
People with category IV skin type or more are more protected from sun UV radiation, thanks to higher levels of
melanin in their skin.
AIR POLLUTION
92% of
the world's population live in cities that do not comply with the World's Health Organization's air quality standards.
A recent ongoing study could potentially also discover a link between
air pollution
and skin aging.
Contaminants materials resulting from pollution affect the skin and can cause
premature aging,
pigmentation spots, or even acne.
In some cases, it can lead to more serious diseases such as cancer,
psoriaris, and dermatitis.
The skin operates as a protection against pollution but this function can be weakened by pollutants, and lead to t
oxicity in human organs.
Some components of air pollution are called
ambient particulate matter
(PM), which can be created by volcanic activity or combustion of fossil fuels, or even the production of chemicals. There has been increasing evidence showing that human skin exposure to PM has negative effects attached to it, such as an increase in the risk of developing eczema, and even a modification of the
physiological properties of skin.
The mechanisms of how this happens are
not well know.
Other negative impacts of air pollution
include dryness, dullness, r
oughness and discoloration of the skin.
Some studies have found that
NO2 air pollution
has caused the formation of pigments in women over 50 in Germany. An increase of 10mg/m3 NO2 resulted in a
25%
growth in pigment spots.
WATER QUALITY
In the US, around
63 million
people are affected by the risk of polluted tap water that might be unsafe for drinking.
Polluted water can cause
skin infections.
The
chlorine present
in tap water can cause damage to the skin and accelerate its aging.
It is a
toxic chemical t
hat can affect the skin negatively.
HUMIDITY
The skin is very sensitive to
humidity levels
to which it is exposed. A
high level
of humidity makes it more prone to host harmful bacteria, increase the risk for rashes and general irritation. A
low level
of humidity can make the skin dry up.
TEMPERATURES
Research has shown that
exposure to heat
can generate the production of elastotic material in skin, and cause severe skin aging.
A study has shown that
Caucasians
leaving in Australia, where temperatures and sun exposure is higher, have experienced accelerated skin aging compared to Caucasians living in the UK, the US and Canada.
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