A WHO study conducted in 2016 shows Delhi as the second most polluted city in the world, next to Riyadh. The city’s air condition has been deteriorating in the last few years with the quality reaching at alarming levels in the last few years. The air quality is becoming a health hazard for the people living in the city.
Particulate matter, Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, Nitrogen dioxide and Sulphur dioxide are common pollutants that could cause health hazards to the people exposed to the polluted in Delhi.
There are prior awareness among the people regarding diseases like Asthma, Bronchitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to the pollutants.
A study conducted by Jean Krutmann, Dominique Moyal, and others in 2017 indicate a link between skin problems and exposure to airborne pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), pollutants such as ozone, Nitrogen dioxide and Sulphur dioxide.
Mumbai and Kolkata, in spite of having high population density are less polluting since the two cities are located near sea whereas Delhi remains landlocked.
With the rising pollution, the result on the public health is evident.
A similar pattern of rise has been registered in private hospitals too.
Apart from the AIIMS, there are various other government hospitals and private clinics in Delhi registering a similar growth.
Although human skin acts as a biological shield against pro-oxidative chemicals and physical air pollutants, prolonged exposure to high levels of these pollutants may have profound negative effects on the skin.
A similar study conducted by Nouveau-Richard S, Zhu W and others in 2007 suggested that people in the polluted area had more greasy skin than the people in non-polluted area.
The study also said, “skin condition changes with chronic exposure to ambient pollution”. Common physiological disorders are sometimes prolonged over the specified period and leads to some disease.
Kirti Arora (24) and a resident of Delhi, has been suffering from acne since the last three years. She says:
According to Dr Sidharth Sonthalia, a renowned dermatologist in Gurgaon, the cases of skin disorders has increased in the capital in the recent years, and pollution has been a major force behind the rise.
According to Dr Sidharth, acne is the most common skin disorder in India as well as abroad. The cause of increasing acne is also seen in the oxidation of natural skin oil, Squalene, due to the pollutants present in the air.
A survey in the International Dermatology Conference in Beijing, revealed that 67% of responders agreed that acne prevalence increases with pollution.
Apart from acne, eczema is one of the most common skin disorder that has registered a rise too.
Seeing the level of pollutants in the city, Dr Neeraj Kumar, a dermatologist says,
The quality of water also affects the skin disorders. Doctors suggest the use of clean water to be used for washing the skin, and face in particular.
Apart from the pollutants, the exposure to Ozone is also causing in the cases of eczema.
The tremendous rise in skin disorder is not only a cause for worry for the people in Delhi.
The health hazard in Delhi due to pollution could equally widespread in these cities.
Frost & Sullivan, a Growth Partnership Company in 2014 estimated that around 19 crore Indians would suffer from skin diseases by 2015. The figure calculated for 2015 could be higher for the present year and even more for the next years.
The rising cases of skin disorder are a cause for worry.
Apart from controlling the pollution doctors believe that awareness and proper medication could result in lowering the cases since a lot of patients resort to quackery or self medication.
The use of steroids is a common case of self medication.
In India, topical steroids are easily available in pharma stores and patients usually use them in cases of eczema and acne.
Neglect of skin disorders could lead to other diseases. Acne, after persisting beyond the age 25 could result is adult acne, which could increase the chances of heart diseases.
In many cases, patients do suffer from depression and anxiety due to their skin disorders.
(Majid Alam is a budding journalist, currently pursuing Masters in Convergent Journalism at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)