Essential Self-Care Tips for Protecting Your Eyes, Sinuses, and Skin Amidst Wildfire Hazards

Several wildfires persist in devastating Los Angeles County, obliterating thousands of buildings and compelling over 130,000 residents to evacuate, with much of the region under a red flag alert through Friday night.

While the primary concern revolves around protecting our lungs from smoke and ash, wildfires can also irritate our sinuses, skin, and eyes. Here’s how to take care of each during an event of wildfire.

Sinuses

New studies indicate that air pollution and smoke can initiate chronic sinus inflammation or diminish the natural filtering system of the nose, even in individuals who were previously healthy, stated Dr. Kevin Hur, an ear, nose, and throat expert with Keck Medicine of USC.

“Your nose itself acts as a filter,” Hur explained. “When you inhale smoke, it becomes trapped inside your sinuses, and with prolonged exposure, some of that will begin to irritate the lining and result in inflammation.”

The effects may be subtle initially. In addition to evident symptoms such as a scratchy throat and a runny nose, Hur cautions individuals to monitor for alterations in their sense of smell or whether their normally thin, clear mucus becomes denser. These are both indications that the pollution could be overpowering their body’s natural defenses.

Wearing a mask outdoors, minimizing outdoor time, and keeping windows shut are all suggestions that can not only safeguard your lungs but also your sinuses. To support the nose’s defense system, Hur recommended employing a neti pot or similar device for daily nasal cleansing.

“Washing daily, or up to two times a day, can assist in cleansing the filter within your nose so it operates as effectively as possible,” he noted.

If you notice denser mucus or changes in your olfactory sense, Hur recommends seeking medical assessment, as these might indicate that pollutants have compromised your nasal lining, potentially leading to infection.

Eyes

The eyes also represent a susceptible entry point for smoke and pollutants.

“Particulate matter and gases generated from smoke can induce irritation, discomfort, and occasionally even blurred vision, primarily due to disruption of the natural tear film on the eye,” stated Dr. Katherine S. Hu of the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah.

For protection, Hu advises wearing wraparound glasses or goggles while outdoors and refraining from touching or rubbing your eyes. If irritation arises, she suggests utilizing artificial tears such as Refresh or Systane, which are available over the counter and can be used several times a day. However, be cautious: There’s a distinction between artificial tears and other products solely designed to relieve redness.

“Steer clear of products that simply address red-eye issues like Visine,” she warned. “They merely constrict blood vessels to reduce the appearance of redness, but they do not actually hydrate your eyes.”

For more intense discomfort, Hu recommends using thicker lubricating gels or ointments before sleep, though these may temporarily blur vision.

A critical warning: “Do not rinse your eyes with tap water, especially if you wear contact lenses,” Hu cautioned. “It can alter the chemical composition of your natural tear film and result in even more irritation.”

Skin

The risks to skin wellness are equally alarming and are worsened by Southern California’s dry winter season, states Dr. Teo Soleymani, who serves on the faculty at both UCLA Olive View-Medical Center and USC.

“As our skin loses moisture, microscopic cracks develop, allowing environmental allergens and pollutants to penetrate that would typically not pass through more hydrated skin,” he explained.

These fissures become particularly perilous amid wildfires, as the atmosphere fills with ash, aerosolized toxins from ignited structures, and even plant compounds.

“Each time the hillsides burn in Southern California, we witness patients arriving with quite severe contact allergen rashes,” Soleymani commented. “Individuals who merely reside near the hillside come in with poison oak or poison ivy eruptions covering their entire body, even if they had no direct contact with these plants, and that’s because these toxins are aerosolized from the fires.”

Soleymani stresses the importance of moisturizing with heavy products.

“Creams and ointments are consistently superior to lotions, products from jars are always preferable to those from a pump bottle,” he mentioned. “For hands and feet, which have particularly thick skin, you should opt for ointment-based products. Even basic items like Vaseline or Aquaphor can truly make a difference.”

As doctors continue to uncover more about the effects of wildfire smoke on health, recent research has revealed that prolonged impacts on skin issues are also a concern. Dr. Shadi Kourosh, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and associate professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a recent investigation following the 2023 Canadian wildfires which indicated marked increases in eczema flare-ups during wildfire incidents.

“These airborne pollutants are damaging to the skin barrier, causing inflammation, triggering eczema, and can also hasten the aging process of the skin while increasing the risk of skin cancer,” she noted.

Kourosh’s research has resulted in specific recommendations for skin protection during fire events, such as utilizing mineral sunscreen products that contain zinc and titanium dioxide.

“These create a protective barrier on the skin that can help safeguard it from these corrosive airborne pollutants,” she stated.

After any exposure to the outdoors, Kourosh recommends promptly changing clothes, showering, and applying moisturizer to restore the skin barrier. Yet, this can be challenging for individuals who have just suffered losses, the impoverished, or those without homes. Therefore, Kourosh underscores the necessity of treating these fires as a wider public health emergency that calls for government action.

“These rising wildfires due to climate-related factors are producing acute air-pollution events that pose not only a risk to public safety but also a significant threat to human health,” she affirmed.