Pollution damages skin, study finds
 |
|
Poor air may be the cause of skin problems, according to a new study. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
The company started researching the relationship between skin and air pollution more than a decade ago, says Alexis Perakis-Valat, L'Oreal China CEO and executive vice-president of L'Oreal Group, Asia-Pacific.
"We always say in French that 'we seize what is beginning'. That's precisely what we did when we started 10 years ago researching what air pollution does to the skin," he says.
Kan Haidong, an environmental expert and Fudan University professor, calls the research a "breakthrough" for both the academic world and consumers.
The density of PM2.5-fine particles that are 2.5 micrometers or fewer in diameter that can go deep into the lungs to cause deadly diseases-has decreased by 15 percent in Beijing compared with last year, Kan says.
He is optimistic that the air quality will continue to get better in the future, he adds.
Liu Wei, the chief dermatologist of the Air Force General Hospital in Beijing, says about one-third of the patients at his hospital report skin problems－a huge rise compared with 30 years ago. That's largely due to air pollution.
The Paris-based company's research will provide a "sound" basis for optimizing solutions, he says.
L'Oreal's brands La Roche-Posay, Clarisonic, Shu Uemura, Yue-Sai, L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline have introduced products targeting air pollution, including makeup-removing lotions, face cleansers, foundation, toner and sonic cleansing brushes, the company says.
Every year, the company devotes about 3.4 percent of its revenue from global sales to research. The investment was $860 million last year.
About 70 percent of the products sold in China last year were developed especially for the Chinese market.
Sanford Browne, vice-president of L'Oreal China Research and Innovation, says the company will continue its exploration and develop more products to meet Chinese consumers' demands.
A healthy lifestyle is central to countering the effects of bad air, says Zhou from Hangzhou.
"You also have to be careful about what you eat and how you live."
Related:
