Let’s Talk About…Our Springtime Foe, Pollen!

It’s spring. And in Atlanta that means an ongoing battle with pollen. There is always a layer of pollen on everything. It coats your car, the door to your house, your shoes and clothes if you walk outside for just a minute. This also means that it is all over your skin. And I know you’re thinking that pollen allergies do not affect your skin health, but that is where you may be mistaken.

I never had any reaction to pollen while growing up in southern Alabama near the Gulf Coast. It still was never an issue when I moved to Auburn, the loveliest little village on the Plains, which is covered in trees, for college. After only 2 years of living in Atlanta did the itchy, watery eyes start. And let’s not forget the constant sneezing and congestion that accompanies the beautiful booms and bright leaves that herald the arrival of spring. It is aggravating and annoying, but now I have discovered that pollen is wreaking havoc on my skin. Just one more environmental factor to worry about. Here are 3 ways pollen could be ruining your skin.

(1)   Pollen can lead to an inflammatory response on the skin. This is probably the most known symptom of pollen on the skin. The inflammation can present as a rash or just simply redness is the skin. Because we can’t control the amount of pollen in the air, we need to guard our skin against it. Your best defenders are antioxidants.

(2)   Pollen can inhibit collagen production. We need collagen to give our skin its elasticity and strength. Again antioxidants to the rescue, especially vitamin C.

(3)   Pollen can damage the skin’s barrier function. When the barrier function of the skin is weakened, the skin becomes irritated, itchy and dry. To counteract this, you should look for products that can help rebuild the skin’s barrier by replenishing the ceramides in the skin that have been diminished by pollution and pollen.

Antioxidants and ceramides can be found in a number of skincare products  on the market. Just make sure you use them daily for the best results.

CarmaBella Skincare currently offers an all-natural Rose Water Calming Toner ($25) that contains organic green tea extract, botanical hyaluronic acid, aloe and rose water which can be added to your daily skincare regimen to help combat the effects of pollen. We also offer a number of natural products that can be great additions to your skin care.