D. MOYAL, S. SEITE
La Roche-Posay Dermatological Laboratories, Asnières, France

INTRODUCTION

METHODS

EFFECT OF AIR POLLUTION ON SEBUM RATE AND ACNE: HOW TO MANAGE ACNEIC SKIN IN A POLLUTED ENVIRONMENT

Pollution is a major concern in big cities. Moreover, epidemiological and mechanistic studies suggest 
that air pollution can also have a negative impact on the integrity of the skin. Indeed, it can result 
in aggravating skin sensitivity and reactivity. It has been determined that particulate matters can 
generate reactive oxygen species, leading to lipid and protein oxidation that can induce up-regulation 
of pro-inflammatory mediators. A harmful synergy between UV (particularly UVA) radiation and 
pollution was also observed. The objective of this study was to evaluate first the effect of pollution 
on sebum rate and acne lesions and then, the efficiency of a skin care product routine to reduce 
the effects of pollution.

In the first part of the study, 64 Chinese women and men presenting acne were recruited. Sebum rate and 
acne lesions numbers were evaluated each week during 8 weeks in a polluted environment (Beijing, China). 
All subjects used the same mild cleanser and skin care to avoid variability due to different products usage. 
In the second part of the study, 43 of these subjects used 3 products (a purifying foaming gel, a skin care 
dedicated to acneic patients, a daily sun care with high UVB and UVA protection level) during 4 weeks to 
assess the efficacy of this routine to reduce the sebum rate and acne severity in polluted environment. 
Daily rate of air pollutants was collected from the official Beijing air pollution website.

Relationship between sebum and air pollutants

- LINK BETWEEN ACNE AND POLLUTION -

We demonstrated a significant relationship (Variance analysis, Shapiro-Wilk test p<0.0001) between air 
pollutants, sebum rate and acne lesions. The higher the concentration of PM2.5, PM10 and NO

2
 was, the 

higher the sebum rate and the number of inflammatory and retentional lesions were. The best relationship 
was found between these parameters and the level of pollutants of the previous week.

The skin care product routine significantly reduced the sebum rate (-20% in average), the acne severity 
(-28% at T4w), the number of inflammatory lesions (-34% at T4w) and the number of retentional lesions 
(-17% at T4w).

RESULTS
64 patients were included in this study. Among them we had 16% of male and 84% of female with mean
age 25.9 years (from 18 to 42 years old).

Relationship between inflammatory lesions and air polluants

*Inflammatory lesions = papules and pustules

Relationship between retentional lesions and air pollutants

- EFFECT OF SKIN CARE PRODUCTS ON ACNE AND SEBUM IN POLLUTED ENVIRONMENT -

PM2.5, PM10 and NO
2
 levels exceeded the OMS 

guidelines (PM2.5 25µg/m3 24-hour mean, PM10 
50µg/m3 24-hour mean, NO

2 
40µg/m3 annual

mean).

*Retentional lesions = open and closed comedones

Pollution during the skin care products evaluation

Skincare products effect on sebum

*p≤0.05 compared to T0w

CONCLUSION

Skincare products effect on the acne severity

Skincare products effect on the inflammatory lesions

This study indicates that pollution may aggravate acne vulgaris and demonstrates in a polluted 
environment the interest of using adapted products to reduce sebum rate and acne severity.

Skincare products effect on the retentional lesions

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w

L
ev

el
 o

f 
se

b
u

m
 (

µ
g

/c
m

2
)

59,6

48,4 45,9 43,2
48,7

* * * *

*p≤0.05 compared to T0w
GEA 1: virtually no lesion; GEA 2: mild acne

3

2

1

0
T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w

2,0
1,8 1,7 1,7

1,4

* * *

* *

*

M
ea

n
 G

E
A

*p≤0.05 compared to T0w

T4w

25

20

15

10

5

0
T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w

16,1 15,5

11,3 10,6

* * *
M

ea
n

 in
fl

am
m

at
o

ry
le

si
o

n
s 

co
u

n
t

10,4

*p≤0.05 compared to T0w

25

20

15

10

5

0
T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w

17,7
16,3

13,8

*

* *

13,2 14,2

**

*

M
ea

n
 r

et
en

ti
o

n
al

 le
si

o
n

s 
co

u
n

t

REFERENCE
Krutmann J, Moyal D, Liu W, Kandahari S, Lee GS, Nopadon N, Xiang LF, Seite S. Pollution and acne: is there a link? 
Cosmet Invest Dermatol: 2017, May 19: 10: 199-204

250

200

150

100

50

0

P
o

ll
u

ta
n

ts
 (m

ea
n

 p
re

vi
o

u
s 

w
ee

k)

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w T5w T6w T8w

S
eb

u
m

 (m
ea

n
 µ

/c
m

2
)

PM2,5

PM10

NO
2

Sebum

20

Inflammatory
lesions*

P
o

ll
u

ta
n

ts
 (m

ea
n

 p
re

vi
o

u
s 

w
ee

k)

250

200

150

100

50

0
T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w T5w T6w T8w

30

0

5

10

15

25

S
eb

u
m

 (m
ea

n
 µ

/c
m

2
)

PM2,5

PM10

NO
2

P
o

ll
u

ta
n

ts
 (m

ea
n

 p
re

vi
o

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s 

w
ee

k)

250

200

150

100

50

0

30

0

25

20

15

10

5

S
eb

u
m

 (m
ea

n
 µ

/c
m

2
)

Retentional
lesions*

PM2,5

PM10

NO
2

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

PM2,5

PM10

NO2

T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w
0

T0w T1w T2w T3w T4w T5w T6w T8w


	FC17PosterLaRocheMoyalAirPollution.pdf