A microblog alleging¹ that "smog will make people look uglier year by year" has been circulated online recently, voc.com.cn reported on Tuesday.

华声在线周二报道，一则宣称"雾霾让人逐年变丑"的微博近日在网上疯传。

Such microblog posts originated from a proposal by a well-known Chinese otolaryngological expert and professor Zhang Quan'an on protecting children from the harm caused by smog, at the local Two Sessions of Shaanxi province.

此类博文源自国内知名耳鼻喉专家张全安教授在陕西省两会上提交的关于保护儿童免受雾霾危害的提案。

Zhang said in his proposal that children can develop a "smog face" and coryza, caused by harmful particles in the air, which can also result in a shortage of oxygen supply to the brain.

张全安在他的提案中表示，有害空气中的微粒会使得儿童五官变形形成“雾霾脸”，还会导致大脑缺氧。

He told voc.com.cn the claim that smog can make children look uglier sounds exaggerated but has theoretical support.

他接受华声在线采访时表示，"雾霾使儿童变丑"的说法听起来夸张，但确有理论依据。

When children get coryza due to an irritation² of the nose caused by harmful particles in smog, their nose gets blocked and they have to use their mouths to breathe, and this could adversely³ affect facial development over time and develop a short thick upturned upperlip and an irregular row of teeth, Zhang explained.

张全安对此作出解释：当儿童因雾霾中的有害颗粒物刺激鼻腔而患上鼻炎时，其鼻腔堵塞，必须用嘴呼吸。这不利于儿童的面部发育，会造成其上唇短厚翘起，牙齿排列不整齐。

Children whose brains are still developing may experience retarded⁴ development as a result of breathing disorders⁵ at night.

而在夜间，大脑还处于发育期的儿童因为鼻腔呼吸不畅，引发大脑发育的延缓。

Zhang said he was researching the safest way for children to wear masks, as these are so far the most effective means to protect wearers from the potential harm caused by smog.

张全安表示，他正在研究儿童戴面具的最安全方法，因为这是到目前为止，最有效的保护使用者免受烟雾造成的潜在危害的手段.