• Individuals with eczema lived in areas with much higher concentrations of PM2.5 than people without eczema. (Chen et al., 2024)
  
  • More than 280,000 people in the U.S. exposed to higher concentrations of PM2.5 were more than twice as likely to have eczema
• The tiny size of PM2.5 allows it to infiltrate through the skin’s barrier where it can then reach deeper layers and cause more damage to skin cells. This can impair the skin’s natural defenses, then leading to increased inflammation and skin sensitivity (White & Wilson, 2024)
• When PM2.5 comes into contact with the skin, they bind to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which is a protein known to mediate how cells respond in environmental toxins - can then trigger an inflammatory response. This then can result in itchiness, swelling, and redness. (White & Wilson, 2024)
• “Increases in several major air pollutants were associated with a rise in doctor and emergency room visits for eczema symptoms. Specifically, for every 10μg/m3 increase in PM10 and PM2.5, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, there was a corresponding increase in outpatient and emergency department visits for eczema-related care” (Day, 2025)
  
  • Other probable links to secondhand smoke, traffic pollution, and living near industrial sites

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