Air pollution is difficult to avoid, especially for city dwellers
Ron Adder/Alamy
Air pollution is increasingly linked to an increased risk of eczema, with new research showing a clear link between air pollution and skin conditions.
Vehicles and power plants emit pollution particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, called PM2.5. These have long been associated with an increased risk of eczema, which is thought to be a result of the immune system becoming overactive and causing inflammation, causing dry and itchy skin.
To gather more evidence, Jeffrey Cohen of Yale University School of Medicine and his colleagues analyzed the medical records of more than 280,000 people who participated in the All of Us Research Program. Most of them were in their 50s. It collects health data from a diverse population in the United States, with an emphasis on people typically underrepresented in research, such as ethnic minorities.
The researchers also looked at average PM2.5 levels in the areas where these people live, using data collected in 2015 by the Virginia Center for Atmospheric, Climate and Energy Solutions.
We then compared PM2.5 levels at 788 locations across the United States to eczema cases diagnosed through mid-2022. They found that for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5, the incidence of eczema more than doubled. “More contaminated areas of the country had more eczema outbreaks,” Cohen says.
The research team considered factors that could influence the results, such as ethnicity and whether the participants smoked or had food allergies.
“This study advances science by successfully demonstrating a clear correlation in a large population,” says Giuseppe Varacchi of North Carolina State University. PM2.5, like pollen and dust mites, can stimulate the immune system and cause inflammation when it comes into contact with the skin, Valacki said. Inhaling it may also have an effect, he says, because it can worsen inflammation in the body.
The study should give governments new reason to implement policies to reduce air pollution, Cohen said. Meanwhile, people living in contaminated areas can reduce their risk by wearing long sleeves and staying indoors when pollution levels are particularly high, Valacki said.
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