Long-term exposure to increased temperature and humidity may accelerate skin aging in Indian women: Study
Researchers have found that long-duration exposure to heat and humidity can accelerate skin aging phenotypes, such as pigmentation and wrinkles, particularly among Indian women. Global warming, with extreme events of heat, is on the rise, and increasingly impacting human health, where its effects on the health of the skin are gaining importance today. A recent study was conducted by Nidhi S. and colleagues on this topic which was published in the journal Dermatitis.
Skin is the primary organ exposed to the environment and, thus, to various factors. While some mechanisms of thermal aging are known, this work specifically points out how long-term heat and humidity conditions lead to visible signs of aging in the skin-a factor pointing to the involvement of environmental elements in skin pathology.
This study used the SCINEXA™ scoring tool to examine skin aging in 1510 Indian women. It included intrinsic and extrinsic aging phenotypes, ambient temperature and RH combined into an HI, and solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and air pollution (PM2.5 and NO2). Long-term environmental exposure was assessed with a 5-year mean residential exposure window. An adjusted ordinal multivariate logistic regression model was employed to determine the relationship between HI and specific skin aging phenotypes, accounting for confounding variables such as UVR and age.
Key Findings
Increased Pigmentation: High HI exposure was associated with hyperpigmented macula on the forehead, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.31 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–1.54).
Wrinkles: Deep wrinkles at the crow's feet were significantly associated with longer HI exposure (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05–1.30), as were deep wrinkles around the eyes. (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.15–1.47)
Strongest Associations: Both were seen to be strong and independent even of confounding factors such as solar UVR and age.
This study has many implications in dermatology and public health:
Protective Measures: Measures to avoid high HI include keeping the body hydrated, use of sun protection, and not directly exposing the body to the heat.
Personalized Skin Care: Individualized dermatological treatments might reduce the rate of skin aging for individuals exposed to such conditions.
Public Awareness: It is crucial to make people aware of the effect that the environment has on their skin.
These findings underline the critical role of ambient temperature and RH in assessing the skin aging exposome and highlight the need for targeted intervention to protect skin health in the context of global warming.
Reference:
Singh, N., Wigmann, C., Vijay, P., Phuleria, H. C., Kress, S., Majmudar, G., Kong, R., Krutmann, J., & Schikowski, T. (2024). Combined effect of ambient temperature and relative humidity on skin aging phenotypes in the era of climate change: Results from an Indian cohort study. Dermatitis: Contact, Atopic, Occupational, Drug: Official Journal of the American Contact Dermatitis Society, North American Contact Dermatitis Group. https://doi.org/10.1089/derm.2024.0301
