If you live in an urban area, skin health and pollution would be some of your biggest concerns. Although you do not have any control over the outdoor air pollutants, there is something you can do to keep the quality of the indoor air to the maximum. For this, you must know what kind of city pollutants you are dealing with.

So, here’s a list of common city pollutants that can harm your skin and you must stay away from them.

1. Solar Ultraviolet Radiation or UVR
Ultraviolet radiation can cause some of the most severe skin diseases such as skin cancer. And thus, if you are concerned about skin health and pollution, you must protect yourself from these radiations. In addition to this, ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun or manmade sources such as tanning beds can also cause skin burns. Besides this, signs of premature aging such as wrinkles and fine lines can also be caused due to UVR.

2. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons or PAHs
Exposure to PAHs can have acute and chronic effects on health. The severity of these effects largely depends on the length of exposure and the amount of PAH a person has been exposed to. When a person experiences occupational exposure to pollutant mixtures containing PAHs in high quantity, it can lead to various health problems including irritation in the eye, diarrhea, and vomiting. Exposure to some mixtures of PAHs has also been known to be a cause of skin inflammation and irritation.

3. Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs
Exposure to volatile organic compounds for short durations can lead to several health problems including dried, red, and itchy eyes. The exposure can also make your eye watery. Several skin conditions can be caused due to short-term exposure to volatile organic compounds. These include dryness of the skin and atopic dermatitis. In addition to these health troubles, VOCs can also be the cause behind your runny and stuffy nose.

4. Nitrogen Oxides or NOx
Nitrogen oxides are common emissions from stationary as well as mobile sources of combustion. Once emitted, these oxides react with the radicals or O3 found in the atmosphere and form NO2. This is one of the highly reactive gasses which is known for doing oxidative damage. The damage results in the production of free radicals which can lead to the oxidization of amino acids found in the skin tissue proteins. According to some studies, atopic dermatitis has also been a common skin problem found to be affecting adults who live in areas with high air pollution.

5. Particulate Matter or PM
Among the main source of particulate matter are automobiles, fires, dust, construction sites, factories, and power plants. The oxidative stress caused by particulate matter can contribute to premature aging of the skin. It can lead to signs such as spots, wrinkles, and fine lines.