The warmer summer months are great for spending time outdoors, but can wreak havoc on your skin. Between direct UV rays and the extra sweat that stays on the surface from increased humidity, your skin can end up showing signs of inflammation and stress.
While issues such as heat rash and sunburn are extremely common summer skin problems, you may also run into dry and irritated skin, as well as more difficult to treat issues such as folliculitis.
Acne Breakouts
One of the more common skin issues is acne. During the summer, the higher temperatures and humidity can be one of the culprits in causing acne breakouts. As you sweat, your pores can become clogged by the oils and bacteria that are on your skin.
Over time, these dirty and clogged pores can lead to both minor and major signs of acne. If you’re spending a good amount of your day in the heat and are sweating, trying to minimize the sweat on your skin can help reduce the potential for acne.
Instead of using a dry cloth or towel to wipe your skin, blot it instead. Wiping can irritate your skin and stretch your pores leading to a higher chance of breakouts or inflammation. Blotting, on the other hand, will not stretch your skin and can remove the same amount of surface sweat and other moisture.
If you’re often struggling with acne breakouts, we love our CLEAR CELL clarifying acne spot treatment to help reduce the signs and symptoms of blemishes. With an ingredient list that includes 2% salicylic acid you’ll not only help reduce current blemishes, but can prevent future outbreaks.
Dry Skin
Even though the summer months may bring high humidity, dry skin is still a very real issue many of us have to deal with. Spending time indoors with an air conditioner can quickly lead to dry and irritated skin, but so too can being outdoors in the breeze and warm sun.
There are a range of ways you can help prevent dry skin during the summer. Hydrating sunscreen such as our PREVENTION+ daily hydrating moisturizer is extremely important, and should carry an SPF rating of no less than 30. Not only will this protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, but it can help add the much needed hydration to the upper levels of your skin.
Moisturizing lotion is also a great way to help your skin retain moisture throughout the day. Whether you are spending time outdoors in the elements, or indoors with an air conditioner, we love our VITAL C hydrating intense moisturizer during the heat of summer. It’s great for providing intense hydration to thirsty skin because of the hyaluronic acid, olive fruit oil, and shea butter ingredient blend.
You can also go one step further with our Dryness & Hydration Kit which offers a range of products that all work together to provide intense levels of hydration. You’ll see high quality and targeted ingredients including hyaluronic acid, plant-derived stem cells, ceramides, and antioxidants.
Folliculitis
Similar to acne breakouts, folliculitis forms similar looking blemishes out of hair follicles instead of pores. As sweat, bacteria, and oils form on your skin, they can make their way into your hair follicles and start creating itchy inflamed bumps.
Folliculitis is common for individuals that spend a lot of time in the hot tub, do heavy workouts at the gym, or go through the hot and humid summer months wearing tight clothing. One of the easiest ways to prevent folliculitis is by wearing lighter and more airy clothing so proper airflow can cool and dry your skin.
If you’re noticing a large amount of breakouts from your follicles, using a warm compress cloth on the area can drain the bumps and provide quick relief. If itchiness is a problem, a basic hydrocortisone cream can almost instantly soothe the affected area. For more serious outbreaks, visiting a dermatologist would be a good choice in case a prescription antibiotic is necessary.
Heat Rash
Also known as prickly heat, heat rash is an uncomfortable superficial rash that can show up as tender and itchy bumps on the back of your neck, under your arms, in your groin area, or on your back. The main cause of heat rash is profuse sweating, in combination with tight fitting clothing or a lack of airflow across certain areas of your skin.
If you are spending a lot of time outdoors in extreme temperatures, chances are you will run into heat rash before too long. In order to lower your chances of this uncomfortable skin issue, wear loose fitting breathable clothing made of cotton to wick moisture away from your skin.
Sunburn
Arguably the most common skin issue you may run into this summer is sunburn. You don’t need to spend a lot of time outdoors to notice the effects of UVA and UVB exposure on your skin. While small amounts of UV exposure can provide a nice tan, too much exposure can potentially lead to a higher risk of skin cancer.
When spending any amount of time in the sunlight, especially on high UV days, always be sure to wear a high SPF sunscreen such as our PREVENTION+ daily ultimate protection moisturizer. It offers a 50 SPF protection level to keep your face and neck protected from both UVA and UVB exposure.
