Pollution May Aggravate Skin Damage From Sun

Study Shows Extreme Weather May Also Worsen Skin Damage From Ultraviolet Radiation

By Charlene Laino   Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD  WebMD Health News

Feb. 8, 2011 (New Orleans) -- Exposure to amounts of pollution typically found in urban environments may more than double skin damage from the sun, preliminary research suggests.

Extreme weather and smoking may also increase the skin damage associated with ultraviolent (UV) radiation, the study suggests.

Michelle Garay, MS, of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies in Skillman, N.J., and colleagues presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

It's well known that repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds can cause wrinkles and other skin damage and even lead to skin cancer. But researchers wanted to see if exposure to pollution and other environmental factors, such as extreme temperatures, would further aggravate damage from UV rays.