If you live in Punjab and your eczema gets angrier from around late October, the cold may not be the only reason. Smog season starts at about the same time. In late October last year, IQAir readings put Lahore's air quality index between 443 and 563 on separate mornings, and anything above 300 counts as hazardous.
Most talk about smog is about lungs and eyes, and rightly so. Your skin sits in that same air all day, though, and when it is already struggling, it feels it.
What smog does to skin
Smog is a mix of smoke, gases and very fine particles. The Pakistani health platform Oladoc lists eczema, along with acne and psoriasis, among the skin problems smog can inflame.
The research on why is still young, but one study gives a clear idea of how it might happen. In 2021, researchers writing in the journal JCI Insight exposed lab grown skin cells and hairless mice to PM2.5, the finest particles in smog. Filaggrin, a protein skin needs to build its protective barrier, dropped. The exposed skin also lost more water. The researchers then took skin samples from five adults in Denver and again after they moved to Seoul, where the air was far dirtier, and the markers linked to filaggrin were lower there.
Five people is a tiny group, and the two cities also differed in humidity and temperature, so this does not prove smog causes flares. The authors themselves only say that this kind of damage may contribute. It does fit what people with eczema describe, because a weak barrier is the root of eczema in the first place. Water gets out easily, irritants get in easily, and the itching starts.
Then winter adds to it. Dry air, hot baths and room heaters all pull moisture from the same skin at the same time. We wrote about those in our post on eczema in winter, so here we will stick to the smog side.
What helps on smoggy days
No study has tested these steps against smog specifically. They are simple ways to keep particles off your skin for fewer hours and to look after your skin barrier.
Moisturize before you go out. Skin that is well moisturized holds its water better. Put your moisturizer or gel on in the morning, before you leave the house, as well as at night.
Cover what you can. Long cotton sleeves and a soft cotton scarf or dupatta over the neck and arms mean less air on your skin. Wear a mask for your lungs on the worst days, and pick one that does not rub any sore patches on your face.
Wash it off when you get home. Rinse your face, neck, hands and arms with lukewarm water and a little gentle soap. Don't scrub, because rubbing irritates eczema and starts the itch again. Oladoc also advises regular cleansing during smog season.
Moisturize again straight after. Pat your skin mostly dry, leave it slightly damp and apply your gel or moisturizer within a few minutes.
Change your clothes when you come in. Keeping your outdoor shawl and jacket out of the bedroom keeps whatever settled on them away from your sheets, which your skin touches for hours every night.
Keep windows shut when the air is at its worst. Check a free air quality app in the morning, and air the house when the reading is lower. If you stay indoors, keep the room from drying out too, since a closed room with a heater running gets very dry.
Where RYP Gel fits in
RYP GEL, our Herbal Skin Gel, is made for irritated, itchy skin. It is coconut oil with natural ayurvedic herbs, made in small batches without harmful chemicals, and gentle enough for all ages.
It won't filter the air, and we won't pretend it protects you from smog. What it can do is calm the itch and irritation. Put a small amount on clean skin and massage it in, morning and night, for at least three weeks. Most people see the itch settle and their skin calm within two to three weeks of using it every day. If your skin reacts easily, patch test it on a small area first.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor or dermatologist if your eczema is spreading quickly, if the skin is cracked, weeping or blistering, if you have a fever with it, or if nothing brings relief after a few weeks. If smog is also making it hard to breathe, or your eyes keep burning and watering, please get that checked as well, since those matter more than your skin.
If you want to know whether RYP Gel suits your skin before you order, message us on WhatsApp at +92 334 1834483. We will tell you honestly.
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