Skincare

Understanding the Exposome: How Do Lifestyle & Environmental Factors Affect Your Skin?

Studying: 6 minutes

The air pollution in your commute to work, how late you went to mattress final evening, even what you had for lunch… Your every day selections and setting have an effect on your general well being. And with regards to your pores and skin, they may even be rising indicators of getting older.  

These on a regular basis elements make up what’s known as the exposome. Let’s stroll by means of the definition of the exposome, the way it impacts your pores and skin, and a few skilled ideas from dermatologists for how one can combat again.

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What’s the exposome?

For these of us that aren’t scientists, we may most likely use a refresher on what exposome means. Coined by molecular epidemiologist Christopher P. Wild in 2005, exposome describes the sum of things we’re uncovered to that affect our well being. 

This explains how elements from our surroundings and way of life work together with our particular person traits corresponding to genetics and affect our well being. As a result of whereas genetics play an necessary position in our well-being, they solely issue into 20% of continual illnesses. The remaining majority could be attributed to the exposome — making it a fairly large deal. 

The excellent news is that though we will’t select our genetics, we will replace our way of life. 

How does it have an effect on your pores and skin?

The pores and skin is the biggest organ in our physique. With an space of just about 22 sq. ft, it’s the barrier between our physique and the surface world. So naturally, our every day setting and way of life selections additionally have an effect on the well being and look of our pores and skin. Actually, 80% of seen pores and skin getting older could be attributed to 1 exposome issue: Ultraviolet radiation.

80% of seen pores and skin getting older is attributed to 1 exposome issue: UV radiation.

7 exposome elements that might hurt your pores and skin

Seven frequent exposome and way of life elements can negatively have an effect on pores and skin’s well being and look: solar publicity, smoking, climate, weight loss program, stress, lack of sleep, and air pollution. 

factors of the skin exposome

Let’s see how every of them impacts our pores and skin and how we will combat again.

1. Your degree of photo voltaic publicity

Sunny days are inarguably one of the best. However whereas absorbing the rays feels nice and helps present us with vitamin D, it’s additionally the most important reason for the looks of pores and skin getting older. 

Photo voltaic radiation, and particularly UV radiation, accelerates the indicators of pores and skin getting older (like darkish spots and advantageous traces) greater than the rest in your exposome. And never solely that, it additionally will increase the danger of pores and skin most cancers.

Nonetheless, photo voltaic radiation isn’t only a seasonal concern. We’re continually uncovered to UVA and UVB rays whereas driving within the automobile, sitting inside a well-lit workplace, and even strolling about on cloudy days.

Test your UV index proper now right here!

Photo voltaic radiation is the #1 wrongdoer of seen pores and skin getting older.

Find out how to combat again:

Sunscreen, all the time. We visited the Head of Dermatology on the Beteré Clinic in Madrid, Spain Dr. Paloma Borregón to get her skilled take: “The cream that I take advantage of every single day is sunscreen. There is no such thing as a higher anti-wrinkle or anti-aging therapy than a sunscreen.”

Get into the every day routine of making use of a excessive SPF, broad spectrum facial sunscreen, and bear in mind to reapply each two hours. This easy step may also help to fight as much as 80% of the seen indicators of pores and skin getting older.

protect against the biggest cause of skin aging with sunscreen

2. You smoke

Tobacco smoke accommodates greater than 3,800 completely different dangerous chemical substances: nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, ammonia, the record goes on. Smoking is a behavior that’s each dangerous to your well being and your pores and skin. 

Do you know that 10 years of smoking could make your pores and skin look 2.5 years older than it usually would? Wrinkles across the lips, crow’s ft, blemishes, and grayish pores and skin shade are all unintended effects that your pores and skin may reside with out. 

10 years of smoking can add an additional 2.5 years to the look of your pores and skin.

Find out how to combat again:

We aren’t right here to guage. However with regards to enhancing your pores and skin’s look and your general well being, quitting smoking is the best way to go.

3. Your weight loss program might be higher

Meals performs a major position not solely in our normal well being but additionally within the look of our pores and skin. As a matter of truth, as much as 30% of wrinkle formation could be linked to vitamin. And candy tooths in every single place beware: extreme sugar consumption can contribute to undesirable traces as nicely. 

As much as 30% of advantageous traces could be attributed to poor vitamin.

Find out how to combat again:

We’re what we eat. A nutritious diet can enhance our power degree, temper, and physique from the within out.  So, following a various, balanced weight loss program may also enhance the look of our pores and skin. 

Nutritional vitamins and minerals assist to guard us from oxidative harm attributable to free radicals and may also help delay the looks of pores and skin getting older. Stocking up on superfoods to your pores and skin, like seasonal vegetables and fruit, and slicing down on refined sugars will get you glowing very quickly. 

4. You’re stressing out your pores and skin

Our not-so-favorite feelings corresponding to stress and nervousness are additionally mirrored by means of our pores and skin. Stress could cause pores and skin circumstances corresponding to eczema and zits, or exacerbate signs of present points corresponding to atopic or seborrheic dermatitis. 

Cortisol is the hormone produced in response to emphasize. And excessive cortisol ranges can suppress your immune system, improve oxidative stress, and impair your pores and skin’s barrier perform. So it’s no surprise that stress could correspond to pores and skin discoloration, diminished elasticity, and advantageous traces.

Power stress can improve the looks of pores and skin discoloration and advantageous traces.

Find out how to combat again:

It’s time to decelerate and take a breath. Simpler stated than accomplished, however to keep up our every day rhythm we have to recharge our batteries. Make time for your self a couple of minutes every day to do one thing that brings you pleasure. Attempt carving out a peaceful second to deal with your self and be intentional when making use of your skincare merchandise.

Stress and cortisol ranges can be lowered by means of bodily train or a superb evening’s sleep. Bringing us to our subsequent level…

5. You’re not getting sufficient sleep

Packed schedules and late-night scrolling can take their toll on our temper and our sleep. However, prioritizing relaxation is important for each feeling and searching your finest.

A scarcity of sleep can weaken the pores and skin‘s protecting barrier and hinder its response to different exterior exposome elements. And sleeping lower than 5 hours a day can truly improve the pesky indicators of pores and skin getting older corresponding to a uninteresting complexion, darkish under-eye circles, and advantageous traces.

Sleeping lower than 5 hours a day will increase the indicators of pores and skin getting older.

Find out how to combat again:

Thankfully, this is likely one of the skin-affecting exposome elements that you just can management. 

At evening, your pores and skin switches from protect-mode to repair-mode to recuperate from the day’s stresses. Melatonin and human development hormone (HGH) manufacturing are boosted, which in flip accelerates pores and skin regeneration and the manufacturing of antioxidant enzymes. So catching a couple of further z’s will naturally assist your complexion.

As if all that isn’t promising sufficient, at evening your pores and skin can also be extra receptive to topical skincare merchandise, because it’s extra permeable. Attempt introducing antioxidant-rich topical melatonin into your nightly routine, corresponding to a wealthy serum, magnificence sleep cream, or perhaps a nighttime eye cream for that totally rested look.

6. You’re uncovered to air pollution

On daily basis we’re uncovered to excessive ranges of air pollution. Particularly these of us who reside in huge, bustling cities. And air pollution is part of our exposome that’s intently linked to untimely getting older of the pores and skin. 

The air pollution attributable to tobacco, heavy metals within the setting, and CO2 emissions, are simply a number of the most important culprits. Their microparticles suspended within the air adhere to the pores and skin. Over time, this will trigger cell harm through oxidative stress in your pores and skin and improve the looks of wrinkles, damper pores and skin’s firmness and elasticity, uninteresting your complexion, and trigger uneven pigmentation. Actually, many research point out that air pollution is a serious reason for darkish spots. Yikes!

Research point out that air pollution is a serious reason for darkish spots.

Find out how to combat again:

Mix good cleaning with rejuvenating merchandise that comprise antioxidants into your every day skincare routine. Cleanse your pores and skin every day, and particularly at evening, to do away with air pollution particles sticking round. Then add restorative antioxidants corresponding to vitamin C, discovered within the daytime serum Flavo-C Ultraglican ampoules, and melatonin, within the 3-in-1 evening time serum Melatonik, to assist in combating the indicators of getting older attributable to oxidative harm.

7. You’re uncovered to excessive temperatures

You understand what they are saying. For those who can’t stand the warmth… your pores and skin would possibly really feel the identical means? Excessive excessive temperatures could cause oxidative harm, contributing to untimely getting older of the pores and skin.

Publicity to excessive warmth is related to indicators of untimely pores and skin getting older. 

Find out how to combat again:

In case your job relies on high-heat conditions, there’s not a lot you are able to do right here. However, a bit of proactive self-care can’t damage. Attempt including focused, exfoliating serums to assist even out pores and skin tone and restore luminosity — our Brightening Routine is a superb place to begin.


Wholesome, radiant pores and skin is the reflection of vibrant general well being. Specializing in how one can enhance your every day expertise with exposome elements corresponding to sleep, air pollution, and weight loss program can do wonders to your pores and skin’s look and well-being. And only for good measure, right here’s our favourite reminder yet one more time: don’t neglect to make use of sunscreen every day.

References:

Khmaladze I, Leonardi M, Fabre S, Messaraa C, Mavon A. The Pores and skin Interactome: A Holistic "Genome-Microbiome-Exposome" Method to Perceive and Modulate Pores and skin Well being and Getting older. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020 Dec 24;13:1021-1040. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S239367

Score: 5.0/5. From 3 votes.

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Editorial Crew

Our namesake embodies the spirit of embracing life and all its surprise. As wellness journalists, we discover matters that invigorate the senses and maintain curiosity alive. We consider that glowing pores and skin is the results of a wholesome physique and thoughts. Weaving magnificence with science, we goal to encourage you to reside younger at all ages.

aurora garre contreras

Medical Communication Supervisor

Along with ten years as a major care physician, Aurora has over 23 years of expertise creating and speaking healthcare merchandise, most not too long ago in dermo-cosmetics. She has co-authored many publications in dermatological journals and spoken at worldwide well being & magnificence conferences. Ref: Colegio de Medicos de Madrid numero 282840102

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