Summer is absolutely the worst time to get acne breakouts. Summer is time for fun and being outdoors. It's also the time when you have the least amount of clothes covering up your skin, and hence when acne is the most visible. Take a few minutes to learn about special skin care needs during summer and avoid these annoying breakouts.
The biggest challenges for the skin during the summer are increased humidity and abundance of irritants.
\"dry Skin\"
What humidity means for your skin
Increased ambient humidity means less moisture loss from the skin. Because the air is so dry during cold winter weather moisture loss from the skin increases and hence many people suffer from dry skin during winter months. This is not the case during summer and your skin care routine should reflect this. Unless your skin absolutely needs it avoid using moisturizers and maybe scale back on products that include moisturizing ingredients.
Dealing with skin irritants
There's no shortage of skin irritants during summer. Anything from sweat to sunlight to pollen and dust in the air. All these things can irritate the skin and make it more prone to acne breakouts.
To deal with these irritants focus on anti-inflammatory treatments. Vitamin E is especially important for the skin. Exfoliation also helps to keep the skin free from dirt. However be careful to avoid using strong chemicals to exfoliate. A simple yogurt orange juice mask will get the job done without irritating the skin.
Avoid over washing
Because there's more dust and bacteria in the air during summer it's important to keep your skin clean. It's also important because you sweat more during summer.
That said, you want to avoid over washing the skin, especially with soap. Over washing the skin strips protective fatty acids from the skin. These fatty acids actually protect the skin from bacteria and irritants.
Soap is especially harmful for the skin during summer. Soap is alkaline and will thus neutralize the acid mantle on the skin. The acid mantle is there to prevent bacteria from penetrating the skin.
You however need to wash your skin more often during summer. A good way is to stick to your normal cleansing schedule, such as using cleanser in the morning and evening, and then just use plain water the rest of the time. Water gets the job done well enough without irritating the skin too much.
Sun exposure in moderation
Sun exposure in moderation is actually good for the skin. Because it triggers vitamin D production and it makes you feel good and energized.
However sunlight also causes inflammatory damage on the skin, and hence you should avoid excessive exposure. You can also protect the skin without losing the benefits. Sun screens protect the skin but they also block vitamin D production. A better way is to apply some vitamin E cream in the morning. This prevents the inflammatory damage (up to a point) but still allows the skin to produce much needed vitamin D.
Conclusion
Summer is time for fun, but it also puts special requirements for your skin care regimen. Because of increased ambient humidity you should avoid excessive moisturizing and products that contain moisturizing ingredients. Also take care to protect the skin from increased irritants by applying antioxidants on the skin, especially vitamin E. Keeping the skin clean is also important. However it's equally important not to use too much soap or cleanser. Strike this balance by washing with only water those extra times during the day. And finally have fun in the sun, but also remember to protect the skin. Too much sun exposure can be devastating for the skin.
Acne Treatment During Summer - What You Need To Know
Seppo Puusa is the author of the best selling acne book Clear for Life: Lifestyle for health, happiness and clear skin.
He also writes about other topics, such as Proactiv Solution and Proactiv refining mask.