Exposome? This word will probably not ring a bell for many of you, because it is a term that did not exist until 2005. Epidemiologist Christopher Wild defined it as “the set of environmental factors and exposures to which we are all subjected from the moment we are born until we die. External factors that impact and act on our genome and our health.” In short, the exposome is everything that surrounds us, our lifestyle, pollution, stress, physical activity, the sun… it is everything external that can affect us in one way or another.
Effects of exposome on skin
It has been shown that the exposome is responsible for 75% of skin aging, compared to 25% that is genetic. That is why I think it is important for us to know what situations accelerate our skin to age faster and what we can do to stop it.
- SUN
Of course! The sun is the main external factor that affects our skin. We have said it many times and we never tire of saying it: sun protection is the best anti-aging cosmetic. The sun damages our skin, that is a fact, and generates free radicals that will make it look duller and more aged. In addition, it can also cause skin cancer, which is why it deserves this first place in the factors that make up the exposome.
If you want to know how to apply your sunscreen correctly, you can find it in our article “How to apply the sunscreen”. With regard to light waves, we cannot forget the blue light emitted by computer screens and electronic objects, we must also block this type of waves so that they do not favour photoaging. - FOOD
A balanced diet is the key and the solution to many of our pathologies, therefore if we have a poor diet in vitamins and minerals, we will have a deficit and we know that it leads to problems such as hair loss or dermatitis.A diet rich in antioxidants will be enough to have a healthy balance. Fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, oranges, broccoli, carrots… will have a positive impact on the health of our skin.
- TOBACCO
Tobacco is harmful no matter how you look at it. Specifically, in relation to the skin, a smoker’s skin aging is much more accelerated than that of a non-smoker. In addition, smokers usually have the so-called “bar code” around the lips much more marked than a non-smoker. - POLLUTION
Car traffic, smoke, pesticides… all these contribute to pollution and our skin is exposed to this type of residue at all times. Apart from the dirt that remains daily on our skin and in our pores, pollution contributes to oxidative stress on the skin and, therefore, accelerates skin aging processes. Many brands have realized the impact of pollution and have worked to bring to the market products with anti-pollution protection such as Vichy’s Minèral 89 serum.
- LACK OF SLEEP
What do we notice when we have not slept well? Exactly. Bags under the eyes, dark circles under the eyes, pallor, puffy face… If we sleep less than 6 hours, we will surely wake up with all these signs. We need to sleep a minimum of hours for our skin to regenerate and, if we have done a good skin care routine before going to bed, the next morning we will wake up with a much brighter and healthy-looking skin. - PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
We already know all the benefits that sport gives us in terms of our health: it controls blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, gives energy, relaxes… well, yes, it will also have a beneficial effect on the skin. When we exercise, we sweat and that sweat carries toxins, therefore, although the function of sweat is not to detoxify the skin, the reality is that toxins are eliminated. It is especially important, after exercising, to cleanse the skin to eliminate toxins that will remain in the outer layer of the skin. People who have redness on the face should be especially careful because sport can worsen these pathologies due to the vasodilatation of the capillaries that occurs when doing sport.
These factors are just an example of the diversity of elements that make up the exposome. They all interact with the state in which our skin is in and now that we know them, we can slow down premature aging in these circumstances.
Did you know what exposome is? Do you protect your skin from all these external agents? Let me know in the comments if you do anything special to minimize as much as possible the effects of the exposome. I read you????.
