The fact that you break out more during summer than in winter is not just your imagination. For millions of people residing in Delhi, the time from April to September is not only about the scorching sun but also an outbreak of acne which seems resistant to any cleanser. There may be several reasons for this, but in most cases, the cause is a combination of humid climate, sweat, and terrible air pollution.
Humidity and Skin Relationship
On average, humans have two to four million sweat glands which function actively during the humid period. Sweat consists mainly of salt and water which are not harmful at all. But the real trouble happens when this sweat does not evaporate immediately because of high humidity and forms a thin oily layer together with sebum released by the body.
As you can guess, this oily-salty film weakens the external layer of skin, known as the stratum corneum, making it possible to block its openings. Dead cells which normally slough off cannot leave the area, blocking the hair follicles. This leads to the development of blackheads, whiteheads, and other kinds of acne.
How Pollution in Delhi Makes Acne Worse
This is where the poor air quality of Delhi makes the problem of acne much worse. Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world and is always covered by a thick layer of PM2.5 particles, exhaust from vehicles, dust from construction, and industrial pollution. Since these are very small particles, some of them are even smaller than the opening of pores. Once they settle on your skin, they do not remain outside but are absorbed into sebum and enter follicles along with a variety of harmful pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals that induce oxidative stress in skin cells. Scientists have also found a direct link between pollution and increased sebum production and inflammation in skin cells.
The Bacterial Element
In warm, humid conditions, Cutibacterium acnes (previously known as Propionibacterium acnes) flourishes – these bacteria being the root cause of inflammation in acne. An occluded, humid pore can be likened to a petri dish where the presence of pollution particles causes an immune response to become amplified, causing inflammation to turn a clogged pore into a pimple.
What Delhi Skin Really Needs
Treatment against the humidity and pollution duo entails the use of both preventative measures and removal techniques. Light, noncomedogenic sunscreens provide limited protection against the particulate matter. Salicylic acid gels provide a cleanser action that breaks down the oils without causing over-dryness. Promptly washing your face after commuting prevents particulate deposition.
Antioxidant serums such as niacinamide control sebum production. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C counteract the formation of free radicals caused by the deposit of pollution particles.
Looking at The Big Picture
Acne in Delhi is not a case of poor hygiene. It is the body's reaction to an atmosphere that is truly harmful to the skin. Comprehending how sweat, humidity, and air pollution work can help understand acne for what it is: a problem to be solved with science, not embarrassment.
By Dr. Ruben Bhasin Passi, Consultant, Dermatologist, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram
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