Summer season is a hard time for not just the body but also your skin. As the temperature soars, the heat becomes unbearable, and while you've trained your body to fight the heat and keep cool, the same is needed for your delicate skin too.
The answer lies in keeping yourself well-hydrated, protecting your skin from sun exposure, and reducing any conditions that make you vulnerable to infections.
1. Heat Rashes: Multiple factors combine to make your skin irritable during the summer. Along with the heat, that puts a lot of pressure on the skin, comes sweating. However, sometimes dirt and dust clog the sweat ducts of the skin, trapping the perspiration. This can result in itchy rashes, blisters or mini
-bumps. Clothes can add to the irritability all the more due to friction.
Solution: Prevent this condition by keeping yourself squeaky clean, especially if you sweat a lot. Bathe twice a day, particularly when you end your day. Use an anti-bacterial soap or bath gel. Keep yourself dry as much as possible. Rubbing the affected skin with ice cubes can help soothe the irritation. If the condition persists, meet a dermatologist.
2. Dehydration: It is not just your body but also your skin that bears the brunt of dehydration. As we sweat, we continuously lose hydration from the skin. If not sufficiently replenished, this can leave the skin dry, irritated and more prone to sunburn. Your lips may start to crack and dry patches may appear.
Solution: The most logical answer is to drink as much water as you can. Carry a water bottle with you all the time, do not go without sipping once every half an hour. Also add a lot of juices and summer fruits to your diet. Fruits like watermelon, which are high in water content, are particularly good for the body and skin during the summer. You can also seek deep hydrating treatments like Hydrating Electroporation Therapy, Oxygen Therapy or Juvederm Refine to pamper your skin.
3. Sunburns: The summer sun is so harsh that it can scorch your skin, causing red patches and rashes that burn. This happens more to people who have a sensitive skin. In simple language, it is the sun burning up your soft and sensitive skin.
Solution: Logically, the only way to protect your skin against this condition is to minimise sun exposure. At the same time, it is equally important to wear a sunscreen religiously. Apply a sunblock cream liberally all over your face, neck and arms 20 minutes before stepping out. Make sure you re-apply the same every four to five hours to ensure continuous protection. It is also advisable for people who have sensitive skin to wear clothes covering as much skin as possible during the day. Ending your day with an aloe vera gel face pack will cool down the sunburnt skin.
4. Acne: The sweat makes our skin a magnet for dust, grime and pollution, particularly if we spend some time outdoors. This combination of heat and dirt is a perfect recipe for acne and pimples to thrive. The dust clogs the skin's pores while the heat gives bacteria a perfect environment to grow.
Solution: To minimize acne, regular care should be taken to keep the skin clean. You should carry your face wash with you and give your face a quick wash at least three times a day or whenever you think it needs a clean-up. Use a good facial cleanser every evening so that your skin pores are free of dirt; use anti-bacterial face wash; and end your day with a cooling application of multani mitti or sandalwood face pack to contain inflammation. Often, acne might need medical attention. So, if your breakouts do not subside, do visit a dermatologist. You may need hormonal correction.
5. Bacterial infections: The hot temperature gives bacteria and viruses a perfect environment to thrive. Bacteria is everywhere, and you cannot even see it. People who use public transport and move around in crowded places are much more likely to come in contact with multiple bacterial infections. Even the bus seat or window you touch with your hand may be carrying bacteria. These hands then touch your face, often resulting in skin infections.
Solution: Try to keep your hands clean and washed most of the times. Carry a hand wash and keep washing every couple of hours. If this is not possible, use a hand sanitizer. And give up the habit of touching your face with your fingers all the time. Folliculitis is a common condition when the damaged hair follicles get infected by bacteria, resulting in inflammation. To prevent this, wear loose clothes, avoid using swimming pools which are not properly disinfected, and prevent cuts while shaving.
6. Tanning: When exposed to the sun's UV radiation, the skin's melanin reacts by forming a protective shield. The melanin results in dark pigmentation, either uniformly or in patches on the skin. The result is what we call skin darkening, tanning or hyper-pigmentation.
Solution: Using a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF and re-applying is important, so is wearing sunglasses to prevent dark circles. To undo the effects of tanning, seek procedures like laser skin rejuvenation, chemical peels or Microdermabrasion. Your dermatologist will suggest the right procedure for your needs.
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