Summertime: Keeping Your Skin Happy

Spending every day swimming and enjoying the warm weather may be your idea of a perfect summer, but the things you love about this season are often not the best for your skin. Here are some of the most common skin problems you may experience during the summer, as well as a few simple tips for keeping your skin healthy and happy while spending time outdoors!

How Can Summer Affect Your Skin?

Although they are far from the only skin concerns you may experience during the summer, excess heat, sunscreen, and water issues are among the most common sources of negative effects that summer can have on your skin.

Heat

Summer heat can make it more difficult for your body to retain water, which can have several negative effects on your skin. Losing more water than you can consume, especially through excess sweating, can quickly lead to dehydration of both the skin and the rest of your body. Skin that cannot retain enough moisture frequently becomes red, dry, and otherwise irritated, and drinking plenty of water is more important than ever during the hottest summer months when it comes to keeping every part of your body healthy and functioning properly. Using your favorite lotion more often during the summer can also quickly moisturize your skin, as well as create a barrier that may help keep water from escaping as quickly.

Sunscreen

Although using plenty of sunscreen is a must if you plan on spending a significant amount of time outside, not every sunscreen will be a good fit for your skin. Applying more lotion than your skin is used to, including thick, greasy sunscreen, can make it more difficult for your skin to breathe easily, and some sunscreens can clog pores and lead to an increase in acne. You may also be allergic to certain ingredients that are included in sunscreen, which can lead to redness, swelling, itching, bumpy rashes, or other signs of irritation. Like any unfamiliar cosmetic product, testing a small amount of a new type of sunscreen to make sure it does not cause these effects is an important step in avoiding a widespread reaction.

Water

Swimming is a favorite summer activity, but most lakes, pools, and other places to swim are not the best for your skin. Many lakes and ponds do not contain the cleanest water, and too much of the bacteria that can grow in these bodies of water can be harmful to your skin. Oceans and pools tend to be cleaner, but saltwater can dry out your skin, and the chlorine that is used to keep pool water clean can have similar effects and even cause allergic reactions.

Work With an Allergist to Protect Your Skin in the Summer

Summer can wreak havoc on your skin but working with an allergist or dermatologist is an important step in determining the root cause of summer skin problems. Knowing exactly where your rash, dry skin, or other irritation is coming from is an important step in determining the most effective way to treat it, and we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you keep your skin healthy and happy at any time of year or to schedule an appointment!