It's the heavy metal band that no one's a fan of. Pollution, carbon emissions and city smog are all detrimental to our overall health and well-being. But as well as impacting our immunity and increasing our susceptibility to illness, experts are increasingly being made aware of the damaging effects of pollution on our skin and of the major role it plays in premature aging.

Pollution is an extrinsic aging factor that accelerates skin's formation of lines and wrinkles, as well as the degradation of collagen and elastin proteins. That's when our DNA comes into play because the body's gene expression keeps recalibrating according to what the body is exposed to. This chemical and biological reaction is called epigenetics and arguably the biggest focus in skincare right now.

Research shows those who live in cities are 21% more likely to suffer from anxiety and psychological stress than their rural counterparts due to the cumulated effects of overcrowding, sleep disruption, and sensory overload. Cities are vibrant and ever-evolving and as a result, city folk live far more hectic lifestyles. These persistent stress levels cause inflammation throughout the body and in the skin.

Heightened stress levels within our bodies can accelerate the aging process too. “Though it's multifactorial and complicated, there's also good evidence to suggest that stress disorders create hormonal changes, having an effect on our overall health. So our behaviour can also affect the way that we age,” says Dr Graeme Glass MD PhD, Plastic Surgeon, Associate Professor of Surgery and Aesthetic Director of LYMA.

Add to that, the compositions of skin microbiomes differ between city and country folk. Those living in urban environments have been found to have a less diverse microbial community on their skin's surface than those living in rural settings because urbanisation reduces microbiological abundance and diversity. In short, what we're exposed to in our external environments, dictates the protective bacteria on our skin.

Pollution can cause pores to appear blocked and blackheads to develop, but its impact goes far deeper than that. Pollution particles can be up to twenty times smaller than the pores themselves and are able to infiltrate deep into the epidermis, causing inflammation and dehydration. Skin can become dry and itchy, and the texture uneven. Over the years, skin that's stressed out by city living loses elasticity and firmness at a much faster rate.

Pollution accumulates in the skin over time, preventing the oxygen your skin cells need to produce energy from entering through the pores, causing dullness and making you increasingly prone to blemishes and breakouts.

De-stress the skin and reduce the impact of pollution on your complexion, by optimising your skincare routine to be the most anti-aging it can be, taking skin-boosting supplements and vitamins, and harnessing the regenerative power of at-home laser treatment to reinforce the skin's protective barrier.

Here's how to protect and repair stressed skin from the effects of city pollution damage:

Regular exfoliation, whether chemical or manual, is key to unclogging pores and removing dead skin cells. Exfoliating not only prevents pollutants, dirt, and bacteria from building up and seeping into the pores, which releases toxins and damages the lower layers of the epidermis, it also ensures that any antioxidant or anti-pollutant products you apply to your skin are well absorbed.

• Morning and evening, apply three pumps of LYMA Skincare Serum to double cleansed skin, using gentle circular motions. Ensure equal coverage across the face and neck. Leave for 30 seconds to ensure full absorption before applying LYMA Cream.

• Apply three pumps of LYMA Cream using gentle circular motions until you see a visible white film. Leave for 60 seconds to allow the actives to penetrate. Massage into the skin using circular motions until fully absorbed.

The LYMA Supplement contains Lycored Lycopene™ , a powerful technology-enhanced natural carotenoid which has been shown to help protect the skin from UV damage. The recommended daily dose of lycopene - equivalent to the 30mg present in LYMA - could reduce the likelihood of sunburn by as much as 50%.

The body is unable to manufacture lycopene itself, so supplementing is highly recommended. Lycored Lycopene™ has a wealth of benefits for overall health and beauty and, as formulated in LYMA, is the most potent strain of lycopene on the market.

The presence of free radicals — unstable molecules caused by cellular oxidation can accelerate the skin's natural aging process. This process is known as inflammaging and can accelerate the development of fine lines and wrinkles as well as tired, dull and looking older skin.

LYMA Skincare contains Tego® the highest concentration of Betaine, that protects DNA function and prevents decay. Production of collagen, elastin, and ceramides is dramatically increased and the surface lipid layer radically improved. MitoPrime™ protects mitochondrial decline from environmental stressors and increases their numbers by 30%. Skin renewal is accelerated and wrinkle formation significantly reduced. PrimaHyal™ 50 Hyaluronic Acid floods all layers of skin and creates an anti-dehydration shield.

Adding anti-inflammatory foods such as leafy greens, oily fish, nuts and seeds and healthy omega-packed oils to your diet can also help to restore your skin barrier and promote the proliferation of healthy tissues, but for some, taking a supplement high in antioxidants might be a better option.

One of the most exciting nutricosmetic ingredients right now, Cynatine® HNS is a highly bioavailable, active keratin and is included in the LYMA supplement's formula for its incredible beauty benefits and ability to obliterate free radicals. Supplementing with Cynatine® HNS has been shown to reverse the toll that pollution can take on your appearance, with clinical studies showing that a daily dose of 500mg/day over three months can improve the appearance of hair, skin, and nails in as little as 90 days.

Because your skin is bombarded with pollutants every single day (this is especially true if you live in a city) your skin's natural barrier — the 'hydrolipidic film' in science parlay — can become worn down, increasing your skin's vulnerability, and increasing the chance of further damage.

If you fear that your skin's protective barrier has already been compromized, the LYMA Laser, alongside the oxygen-packed LYMA Mist & Glide skincare products, supports the mitochondria in the skin by providing them with more energy. This maintains the skin's ability to produce its own collagen and elastin, thus rejuvenating the skin and re-establishing the hydrolipidic film in the process.

The LYMA Supplement, LYMA Skincare and LYMA Laser are the ultimate skin Ecosystem, working in synergy to support the skin's resilience against stress and pollution, and to lessen the toll that city life can take on your appearance.