Holistic Wellness Skin

Skin Exposome: The New Buzzword in Beauty

Lauren Baer May 16, 2021

While the concept of the exposome has been around for over 15 years, its presence in the beauty world is rather new. With that said, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a buzzword in skincare; it is already gaining popularity! The exposome is defined by the CDC as, “…the measure of all the exposures of an individual in a lifetime and how those exposures relate to health.” This exposure to insults does not start at time of birth, but rather before birth, at time of conception, and it continues on until death. The study of the exposome includes the understanding of how exposures from our environment, diet, lifestyle, etc. interact with our own, unique characteristics like genetics, physiology and epigenetics and how the body responds to these factors.

So, what’s the significance of the exposome when it comes to your skin? The skin exposome is comprised of external and internal aggressors like pollution, stress, UVA/UVB rays, temperature, and diet that damage the skin barrier. Skin, the largest external organ of your body, just so happens to have lifelong exposure to a variety of these external (environmental, stress, etc.) and internal (hormones, genetics, etc.) factors. Interestingly, these factors can cause up to 80% of all skin aging! As humans, we know we were born to age but how gracefully the process works is a different story.

How to protect your skin from the exposome?

Though you cannot eliminate exposure to all factors affecting skin aging, there are products you can use and actions you can take to help protect yourself from the exposome.

– Cleanse your skin twice a day with a gentle, rinse-off product to remove pollution and sebum from the skin. Avoid over-cleansing as it can compromise your skin barrier.
– Use products with antioxidant ingredients as antioxidants help counter oxidative stress.
– Apply a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen. Regular use of sunscreens delays photoaging of the skin.
– Nourish your body with foods rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Carotenoids, etc.
– Get a minimum of 6-8 hours of resting sleep. Remember, it is not just the quantity but also the quality of sleep that matters.
– Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol as it increases oxidative stress in the body.

References:

1. Krutmann et al., The skin aging exposome, Journal of Dermatological Science. 2017, 85(3),152-161. [PUBMED]
2. Salsberg et al., A review of protection against exposome factors impacting facial skin barrier function with 89% mineralizing thermal water. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2019, 18(3), 815-820. [PUBMED]
3. Passeron et al., Clinical and biological impact of the exposome on the skin. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020, 34(4), 4-25. [PUBMED]
4. Krutmann et al. Environmentally-Induced (Extrinsic) Skin Aging: Exposomal Factors and Underlying Mechanisms. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2021, 141(4S):1096-1103 [PUBMED]
5. Center of Disease Control. www.cdc.gov | Accessed 4/10/2021.
6. Photo credit – Cottonbro