The Impact of Air Pollution on Skin and Related Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

The review highlighted that human skin, as the body's largest organ, was vulnerable to environmental pollutants, which could disrupt its barrier function and lead to various skin conditions. Exposure to pollutants like UV radiation, PAHs, VOCs, PM, heavy metals, and gaseous pollutants such as CO, NOx, SO2, and O3, as well as indoor pollutants, was linked to skin aging, inflammatory diseases, acne, hair loss, and skin cancers. The severity of these effects depended on the pollutant's characteristics and exposure duration. The mechanisms involved included increased reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and inflammatory cytokines. The review synthesized recent studies on these correlations and mechanisms.