We’re all feeling the impact of the haze. Yes, it’s that time of year where the usually clear, sunny skies is shrouded in a thick blanket of gray and acrid haze. At PSI 155, the condition has been labelled as “unhealthy”. We are advised to get masked up, minimize our outdoor activities and chill out indoors with air filters on at full blast. While you may already be well-versed in the lifestyle dos and don’ts on hazy days, you may not be fully aware of the havoc the haze wrecks on your skin since it may not cry out in discomfort as immediately as our throats and eyes do.
Let’s see how the haze can be damaging to our skin and simple ways to prevent it.
1. THE HAZE CONTAINS AIR POLLUTANTS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO THE SKIN
Rash, itchiness, redness, zits breakouts…the plethora of skin ailments can plague many even those with great skin on these hazy days. The skin feels heaty, tight, dry and clammy at the same time. That’s because the haze contains high levels of air pollutants such as soot and dust particles, carbon dioxide as well as other toxic gases which can adversely affect our skin. Therefore air pollution from the haze can have the following effects on our skin:
- Smog and dust can create free radicals (highly charged oxygen molecules) when they come in touch with UV rays. Free radicals attack our cells and damage our DNA, which can cause harm to our body and damage to our skin. Free radicals are the greatest culprit to problems like discolouration, fine lines and dullness.
- The impurities in the air can also cause clogging in our skin, which in turn cause problems like blackheads, pimples, rough texture and dull complexion.
- Toxin in the air can also cause our skin to age prematurely as well as dryness.
SOLUTION
Time to step up on your skincare routine in little ways. For example, use a alcohol free makeup remover to rid surface grime before using your facial cleanser. However, make sure that your facial cleanser is something that gently cleanses without leaving your skin feeling taut. Should your face feels ‘squeaky clean’ or tight, your facial cleanser may have robbed your skin of its natural oil, causing it to feel dehydrated. Avoid cleansers with strong scents and fragrance.
TIP: Choose a mild facial cleanser which doesn’t deplete your skin of its natural oil and moisture or make your face feels tight after washing. Stop using that abrasive facial scrubs that contain microbeads as over scrubbing skin’s surface can disrupt the skin’s ability to heal and enlarge the pores.
2. HAZE PARTICLES CAUSE PREMATURE SKIN AGING
There are long-term implications of the haze for our skin too.Hazecan cause free radical damage, a major contributor of premature aging.Whenhaze pollutants obstruct oxygen supply to the skin, there’s loss of elasticity and wrinkles may appear.If you’re already having mature skin, it may be more susceptible to haze pollutants as its ability to combat free radicals reduce as you age.
SOLUTION
A well-blended antioxidant serum not only strengthens your skin’s barrier, it also forms a protective layer on your skin to block out haze pollutants. So always remember to include antioxidant serum before applying a moisturizer and sunscreen.
TIP: Using a lightweight antioxidant serum can help to defend against environmental stress on skin. For people with existing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis could see their conditions worsen on hazy days. So cover up to avoid letting broken skin come into contact with the haze’s pollutants and avoid contact with hot water. Always seek medical treatment should you feel that your skin is reacting worse than you expected.
3. UV RAYS IS STRONGER ON HAZY DAYS
Think the haze has blocked out some of the sun’s UV rays? Think again. The haze actually traps UV rays in the atmosphere and minute particles scatter and redistribute UV rays over the sky. In fact, you’re more exposed to UV rays outdoors on a hazy day than on a clear, sunny day.
SOLUTION
Applying sunscreen is the most crucial step as it helps to minimize sun damage during hazy conditions.
4. HAZE MAY REDUCE YOUR IMMUNITY
The skin is the largest organ of the body and its health is closely related to your general well-being. Just like how a healthy diet can help to keep your heart and other parts of your body healthy, your skin also requires certain nutrition to keep it healthy. So besides breathing in haze pollutants through the nose, your skin also absorbs the toxic gases and minute particles. A whole host of air pollutants and toxic gases can easily get to kids, the elderly and people in poor health.
SOLUTION
Haze or not, always maintain a balanced diet rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals such as zinc, selenium, copper and iron, Omega-3 fatty acids as well as antioxidants to build up your immunity. These nutrients-dense food are easily incorporated into your breakfast cereals or main meals. Some of them are equally scrumptious as snacks. So, be it a normal day or hazy day, there’s really no excuse not to enjoy more of the goodness and health benefits of nutritional food. With general good health, your skin can be looking radiant as well.
A PROFESSIONAL SOLUTION: MICRODERMABRASION WITH NSC SIGNATURE REFINING BOOSTER SERUM
The haze can cause your pores, to be filled to the brim with gunk and turn your complexion particularly dull and blotchy. Your skin ends up looking tired and old. Microdermabrasion with NSC Signature Refining Booster Serum can clear a congested face more efficiently than one of those super-powered vacuum cleaners. It deeply exfoliates, extracts and thoroughly cleanses. The skin is then rebooted with hydrating and skin refining goodness to leave you with a squeaky clean glow.
You’re turned into a pampering-psychopath for a segment of the treatment when a Hannibal Lecter-esquemask is draped over your face, which will suck out any impurities left on the skin. Your skin will look seriously glowy. And due to how thorough the cleansing is, expect beaming skin for daysssss