Volume 34, Issue 2 e14840
REVIEW ARTICLE

The impact of air pollution on skin and related disorders: A comprehensive review

Ruhollah Abolhasani

Ruhollah Abolhasani

School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

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Farnaz Araghi

Farnaz Araghi

Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

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Mohammadreza Tabary

Mohammadreza Tabary

School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

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Armin Aryannejad

Armin Aryannejad

School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

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Baharnaz Mashinchi

Baharnaz Mashinchi

School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

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Reza M. Robati

Corresponding Author

Reza M. Robati

Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Dermatology, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence

Reza M. Robati, Department of Dermatology, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 01 February 2021
Citations: 76

Ruhollah Abolhasani and Farnaz Araghi contributed equally and are considered as first co-authors.

Abstract

As the largest organ in the body, human skin is constantly exposed to harmful compounds existing in the surrounding environment as the first-line barrier. Studies have indicated that exposure to high concentrations of many environmental factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, outdoor air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), heavy metals, gaseous pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxides (NOx), sulfur oxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and indoor air pollutants (solid fuels consumption), might interrupt the skin's normal barrier function. Besides, the intensity of the pollutants and the length of exposure might be a contributing factor. Air pollutants are believed to induce or exacerbate a range of skin conditions, such as aging, inflammatory diseases (atopic dermatitis, cellulitis, and psoriasis), acne, hair loss, and even skin cancers (mainly melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma) through various mechanisms. The interaction between pollutants and the skin might differ based on each agent's particular characteristics. Also, damaging the skin barrier seems to be closely related to the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), induction of oxidative stress, activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and inflammatory cytokines. This article reviews recent studies on the correlation between air pollutants and skin diseases, along with related mechanisms.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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