How Air Purifiers Can Help in Your Skincare Routine?

Environmental pollution is known to be linked to premature skin aging and various skin issues, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and contact dermatitis. That’s why you need to maintain good air quality around you, especially when living in polluted cities. Since most people spend most of their time indoors, investing in an air purifier can help reduce allergens and particulate matter in the indoor environment. 

Knowing the impact of poor air quality on your skin health is essential as it can highlight the importance of using an air purifier. Choosing the right air purifier for your skin health is also crucial. Read ahead to better understand the importance of an air purifier for your skincare routine. 

The Impact of Poor Air Quality on Skin Health

A person with visible pores and blemishes.

Many studies conducted in industrial areas reveal that high levels of urban pollution can lead to  a weakened skin barrier. This can worsen skin hydration levels and create a different skin biome than if the same person lived in a less polluted region. Therefore, pollution plays a role in your skin health. 

How Pollutants in the Air Affect the Skin

When your skin comes in contact with environmental factors such as smoke, dust, and bacteria, the diversity and size of the bacterial communities in your natural skin biome can get disrupted. This can offset the balance, and potentially harmful bacteria can make a home on your skin, leading to inflammation, irritation, and dryness. 

Larger pollutants can also settle on your skin, blocking pores and trapping bacteria inside. This creates an oily and airless environment, a perfect breeding growth for Cutie Bacterium acnes. This is the principal bacterial strain that causes inflammatory acne. 

Air pollution comes from various sources, such as scented candles, cleaning solvents, deodorants, and more. Beauty products also release volatile organic compounds, which are considered air pollutants. The air flowing in from windows can also add to the pollutants inside your home. 

The Negative Effects of Indoor Air Pollutants on the Skin

When these pollutants come in contact with your skin, they can sink in deep and cause inflammation. Air pollutants are also known to cause oxidative stress, which can contribute to premature skin aging. Your cells naturally produce free radicals, also called reactive oxygen species, which are unstable and thus reactive. They play a big role in keeping normal biological processes going. Still, they can also cause damage to the skin barrier. To avoid damage, your skin produces antioxidants, which neutralize the excess free radicals, thereby protecting your skin. 

When your skin comes in contact with high levels of pollution, this balance is disrupted, resulting in a build-up of free radicals, leading to oxidative stress, causing inflammation, cell damage, and premature skin aging. Oxidative stress is also a leading cause of acne.

High pollution levels can affect the lipids on your skin barrier, creating tiny gaps and cracks between the skin cells. This creates space for moisture to escape from the deeper layers of your skin, leading to dry and dull skin. 

The Benefits of Using Air Purifiers For Skin Health

An explanation of the benefits of using an air purifier

Air purifiers are devices designed to improve indoor air quality by removing harmful pollutants and contaminants from the air. They work by sucking in air using fans and passing it through HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, or UV lamps. This helps remove allergens, pollutants, and harmful gasses. Once filtered, clean air is pushed out again from the vent.

Reduced Exposure to Indoor Air Pollutants

Investing in an air purifier can help remove air pollutants, preventing them from coming into contact with your skin. This can help reduce skin issues, including aging, rashes, and skin diseases. Pollen and germs and common indoor pollutants, can trigger skin rashes and conditions like eczema, hives, and angioedema. Dust allergies are also known to cause skin rashes and inflammation. An effective air purifier with a HEPA or activated carbon filter will ensure that the air around you is clean and dust free. 

Reduced Risk of Skin Irritation and Inflammation

Skin irritation is mainly caused by bacteria and viruses, which can seep into your skin and cause irritation and inflammation, leading to skin diseases if not taken care of. Air purifiers can eliminate such bacteria and viruses by trapping them in the filter or processing before letting clean air out.

Improve Your Skin Tone

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are an air pollutant that can be found in homes due to smoking and cooking. It is directly linked to skin pigmentation as it removes essential vitamin E from the dermal layer.

An air purifier with a HEPA filter is an excellent way to maintain a healthy appearance. It is designed to remove allergens as small as 0.3 microns in size. Cigarette smoke, which contains Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is around 4 to 0.01 microns in size. Since HEPA is designed to remove particles larger around 0.3 microns, it effectively traps most toxins. 

Choosing The Right Air Purifier for Skin Health

An image showing how an air purifier works

When purchasing an air purifier, it is essential to consider multiple factors to ensure you get one that fits your unique needs. If you plan to buy an air purifier to put in your room, consider the size of the room, the kind of air filter you want, and the noise level you will be okay with. 

Size of the Room

The size of your room is an important factor to consider when purchasing an air purifier because larger spaces need bigger air purifiers. Therefore, you should ideally buy one that can operate in an area 20 to 40 percent larger than your room. You can even purchase two or more small air purifiers if you want to place them in a very large room. 

Type of Filter

Air purifiers come in different types; the most common difference is the type of filter they use. The two most common types of filters are HEPA filters and activated carbon filters. HEPA filters are also called High-efficiency particulate air filters. They are designed to remove 99.97% of particles of 0.3-microns from the air. These are excellent for people with sensitive skin who can get irritated by most pollutants. 

Activated carbon filters are also an excellent option since they work similarly to HEPA filters but utilize a high-porosity carbon filter to effectively absorb pollutants and are better at odor control. Activated carbon air purifiers, such as VOCs, are highly effective in removing gaseous pollutants. However, they can be expensive to maintain since the filter needs replacement every three to six months.

Noise Level

Air purifiers generate noise due to the internal fan that draws in air and moves it through the filters. The noise of air purifiers can range from 20 to 40 decibels for quieter models. In comparison, some may produce up to 65 to 70 decibels, which can be loud. If you prefer a relatively quiet air purifier, you may want to select one that generates around 40 decibels.

Conclusion

Maintaining healthy air quality is vital for overall health and wellness, especially when it comes to skincare. Poor air quality can cause various skin issues so investing in an air purifier can help reduce allergens and particulate matter in your indoor environment. Air purifiers can greatly benefit your skin by reducing exposure to indoor air pollutants, reducing the risk of skin irritation and inflammation, and improving your skin tone. When selecting an air purifier, considering the room size, filter type, and noise level can help you choose the most suitable option.