ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of common air pollutants other than UV radiation and how they can affect skin. Air pollution can potentially affect skin via different mechanisms including oxidative stress and induction of inflammation and by changing normal skin microbiome. Both indoor and outdoor air pollution are important environmental hazards that can potentially affect skin. Oxidative stress is involved in pathogenesis of multiple skin disorders including inflammatory and neoplastic skin disorders. A number of gaseous pollutants, UV radiation, and ground level ozone can create oxidative stress in skin. Suggested barrier dysfunction due to pollution needs to be further investigated in human skin with exposure to ambient pollution at realistic concentrations. While studies on direct effects of pollution on individuals with sensitive skin are lacking, environmental pollution has been associated with the induction of oxidative stress, cutaneous inflammation, and potential impairment of cutaneous barrier function.
