On the surface of the skin, which we do not see in our naked eyes, there is a microworld — a skin microbacterium. They are, like little guards, interdependent with our bodies and maintain a healthy balance of skin. However, when polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) enter, a silent “war” unfolds on the skin surface and even shapes the skin with different metabolic functions.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a wide range of organic pollutants in the environment, where car tail gas, industrial flue gas, cigarette smoke and roasted oil smoke are safe. When our skin is exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, these harmful compounds attempt to break through the skin’s defensive barriers and interfere with normal physical functioning of the skin.
Skin microbacteria do not wait to die. Some of these micro-organisms have unique metabolic capabilities to identify and try to break down polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into relatively harmless substances. For example, certain specific bacterial strains can initiate a complex set of chemical reactions that gradually degrade the complex molecular structure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through enzymes, a process that is like dismantling a dangerous “chemical bomb” and depriving it of a toxic threat to skin cells.
At long-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the composition and functioning of skin microbacteria undergo adaptive changes, resulting in skin formations with different metabolic functions. This particular skin type is like a “specially trained” defensive force that specifically addresses the threat of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A few micro-organisms that are already in small numbers with high-efficiency aromatic aromatic aromatic metabolisms are likely to breed in large numbers to become the dominant force in the fungal community, and their various metabolic enzymes will increase in the genoculation, further enhancing the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic aromatics.
However, such “teaching” is not without cost. Imbalances in microbacteria may cause skin problems. In the process of metabolic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, for example, intermediate metabolites may be produced, which, if accumulated too much, can stimulate the skin, causing skin inflammation, allergies, etc., in the form of red skin, itching, drying and decrum. Moreover, overdependence on the single metabolic function of certain microorganisms can also make the skin vulnerable to secondary infections in the face of invasion of other pathogens.
Reducing exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is essential in order to maintain skin health. In daily life, as far as possible from the sources of pollution, such as choosing a new air-clean living and working environment and avoiding long periods of proximity to crowded streets; reducing the consumption of foods such as fried oils and barbecues, which may contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; and, for smokers, smoking cessation is also a skin protection. At the same time, maintaining good skin clean habits while avoiding excessive cleanness that disrupts the natural balance of skin micro-organisms, making appropriate use of some mild skin protections, providing a suitable living environment for skin micro-organisms, helping them to better function against polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other harmful substances, protecting the health of our skin, enabling skin micro-organisms to live in harmony with our bodies, and avoiding potential harm from polycyclic aromatics.
