Skin inflammation occurs when skin cells have a hyperreactive response to allergens or toxins. Acute inflammation is a natural reaction to repair the skin after being exposed to environmental infections or toxins, and usually lasts a few days. While it is a useful short-term response, if inflammation continues it can play a negative role. When the inflammation is chronic it begins to be destructive and damages the skin.
There are numerous stimuli that induce chronic inflammation: UV rays, stress, toxins, tobacco, alcohol, pathogen infections, excess free radicals. While inflammation is the skin’s first line of defence, excessive inflammatory response causes premature ageing of the skin.
Signs include dermal tenderness, redness, and irritation. Genetic variations in various proinflammatory and antiinflammatory genes are associated with an increased risk of chronic skin inflammation.
