Doctors have observed a 30% jump in skin related problems as the air quality continues to deteriorate in the Delhi-NCR region, revealed health experts on Wednesday.

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Toxic pollutants in the air are taking a toll on people’s health as well as adversely affecting the skin, causing allergies, rashes, and premature aging. As a result, making them seek medical treatments. Exposure to pollution leads to early aging of the skin, pigmentation, skin irritation and other skin related problems said VK Sharma, Professor, and Head, Department of Dermatology, AIIMS in New Delhi.

Sharma said, “It is proven by research that a high level of PM 2.5 present in the air leads to inflammation of the skin. Due to high levels of pollution in Delhi, the number of patients with skin problems has gone up.” Patients suffering from skin allergy experience aggravation due to the high pollution level.

Now that the capital is covered with smog, along with respiratory, heart and other health problems, skin related problems are also rising. As winter’s here the situation is only getting worse, forcing people to seek medical help.

According to Dr. Ajaya Kashyap, Medical Director, KAS Medical Centre and MedSpa in New Delhi, “While our skin is meant to work as a protective layer and ward off environmental hazards, the current levels of pollution is way too much for it to endure, resulting in various skin problems and premature aging.”

Kashyap highlighted, “In last few days, we received a record number of patients with skin-related issues and also for anti-aging treatments, we see almost 30 percent increase in the number of patients” As Delhi’s pollution is characterized by extremely high levels of Particulate Matter (PM), reaching up to even 999 in some days, while the permissible level is 60 micrograms, said experts. Which is conclusively worse for the skin.

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