Is Pollution Making Your Skin Worse? A Deep Dive into Antipollution Skin Care

In July, Manhattan's sky turned an eerie yellow-gray due to wildfires in Canada, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to advise staying indoors and Governor Kathy Hochul's office to distribute over 100,000 N95 masks. The event sparked a personal investigation into antipollution skin care, a booming industry in Asia. Dermatologists like Marie Jhin and Melissa K. Levin explain that fine particulate matter from combustion can penetrate the skin, causing oxidative stress, collagen breakdown, and inflammation. Products with ceramides and antioxidants are marketed as shields, but Raj Fadadu of UC San Diego cautions that evidence is limited and recommends simple measures like washing your face and wearing a mask. The article follows the author's journey to a facial at Rescue Spa in Manhattan, where esthetician Diana Yerkes emphasizes double cleansing. The piece critiques the industry's alarmist marketing and the privilege of those who can afford such products, while acknowledging the real health impacts of air pollution.