Climate change has had some major impacts on our health and lifestyle. From unprecedented rains during the summer heat to winter months still feeling like summer, climate change has become a major issue in the past couple of years.
Along with all of this, climate change also ends up affecting our skin health as well. It is the largest organ of our body and has the most interaction with environmental factors. This article explores more into the connection between climate change and skin health, climate change effects on skin, how it affects collagen production, and how to deal with these problems.
Does Climate Change Affect Collagen Production?
In short, the answer is yes, various climate change affects the way our body and skin produce collagen. Major harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun cause skin issues and can hinder collagen production in our body and skin. Not only this, but environmental factors can cause a lot of other issues with our skin, causing its health and quality to deteriorate over time.
Skin Issues and Skin Diseases Caused By Climate Change
Some of the major climate change skin problems are as follows:
Skin cancer
Acne flare-ups
Premature/early signs of aging
Major skin conditions such as rashes, hives, eczema, and psoriasis
Disease and skin conditions that are infectious
Various climate-changing factors have an impact on our skin health. Some of the most common ones are listed below for your reference:
Extreme weather conditions
Pollution
Flooding
Depletion of the ozone layer
Extreme increased/decreased temperatures and humidity
Increased pollen levels in the air
There are various other skin diseases caused by climate change that can be reasons of major concern. Climate change is known to cause bacterial skin issues, such as impetigo, cellulitis, and boils. It can also cause fungal infections like pityriasis versicolor and tinea pedis.
Preventive Measures: How to Avoid and Take Care of Climate Change Skin Problems
Major climate change has become a huge topic of concern, especially for our skin health. Since it is the first organ to interact with any environmental factor, our skin can easily get affected and damaged. Listed below are some preventive measures that can be taken by you to ensure the least amount of damage. These tips and tricks have been provided to help you manage and at most times avoid any kind of suffering from such issues:
Climate change skin cancer is a highly plausible issue that can occur in people. It can also be caused by extensive burning of fossil fuels as well. To prevent this kind of issue from arising, regular usage of sunscreen is extremely important.
Avoiding going out during peak hours is another preventive measure that you can take. Timing between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is termed to be the hottest time of the day.
Keep yourself updated on the air quality as well as using air filters wherever you can. You can find various applications and websites that update the weather and air quality in different regions. Air filtration systems can also be beneficial in improving air quality within enclosed spaces, such as offices and homes, where the majority of our time is already spent.
Extreme weather can also cause dehydration, which in turn, can affect our skin’s elasticity and texture, drying it out. Consuming liquids and keeping yourself hydrated is a necessary step to avoid any kind of issues arising from climate change.
Vitamin E and C have been found to provide protection to the skin against harmful environmental factors and keep skin plump and healthy. Consuming foods rich in such vitamins help your immune system and your skin. Vitamin C can help your skin recover from oxidative damage by supporting your skin to neutralize free radicals. You can add carrots, leafy green vegetables, and blueberries, to name a few to your diet to increase your intake of these vitamins.
Supplements and oral vitamins can go a long way. With age and time, certain essential components such as vitamins and minerals start decreasing in our bodies. This can make our skin more prone and easily affected by skin allergy due to climate change. Taking these supplements can help raise the levels of vitamins and minerals, ensuring that our immune system remains strong and our skin remains unaffected.
Conclusion
Climate change is an extremely serious issue that can have major effects on our skin health. From pollution to extreme and unprecedented weather changes, all of this can factor into how our skin reacts. The sun’s UV rays can cause harmful reactions to the skin and become the reason behind reduced collagen production. In extreme cases when precautions are not properly taken, some people can even get skin cancer. As long as you ensure to take certain preventive measures, you can keep yourself and your skin safe against all of these issues.