The structure of day-to-day life was turned on its head over the past 20 months, as lockdown and subsequent offices closures meant workers were confined to their home set-ups. Since then, the lifting of social restrictions has gradually seen the number of employees returning to the office increase – and research from the Office for National Statistics estimates that around 7 in 10 workers are now back at their normal place of work across the UK. But how detrimental is our daily commute when it comes to the quality of our skin?

As we head into winter, pollution is not the only threat to our faces. Research from Uvence cosmetics (uvence.co), a naturally based cosmetic treatment that utilises one’s own cells for skin rejuvenation, reveals that 45% of people in Britain think the winter weather makes their skin less able to recover from damage. After lockdown and stay at home measures protected our faces from winter weather conditions in 2020 – including low temperatures and harsh winds – the combination with air pollution means we’re likely to be taking extra protective measures this year.

Dr Olivier Amar, leading cosmetic surgeon and CMO of Uvence, discusses how pollution can affect our skin – and the ways we can combat this:

“Avoiding pollution entirely is unfortunately not possible – especially in cities. However, what we can do is take precautionary steps to protect our skin and reduce the impact that pollution can have. Although the impact of pollution is not always noticeable to the naked eye when it comes to skin, it often causes us to appear dull and tired-looking – and patients often don’t recognise air pollution as a contributing factor. Just as we cannot typically see pollution particles with the naked eye, nor do we always see the impact it is having on our skin.

Sensitivity and premature ageing are another two common implications of pollution when it comes to skin. Just like UV rays from the sun, pollution can penetrate through the skin and cause underlying damage, weakening the skin’s protective barrier.

Before anything else, patients should be made aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including factors such as drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and eating a balanced diet. This will help provide your body with the fundamental nutrients and properties necessary to combat the impact of pollution from the inside-out when it comes to our skin. However, the skin’s needs really do vary from patient to patient – if you ever experience any severe problems, I would always recommend addressing this with a professional who can advise the best solutions.

For patients who are looking for longer lasting ways to help boost the appearance of skin, now there are a variety of cosmetic treatments available. Skin dullness is a common implication of air pollution, and so I often find that treatments like PRP, Morpheus8 – as well as the innovative Uvence treatment – to be the most popular amongst patients who want to rejuvenate and brighten their appearance, without creating any dramatic changes.”