Summer Slay: Protecting Your Skin Against Summer's Biggest Skin Stressors
SUMMER: Lots of Fun, But not your your skin
As we head into warmer weather, many people are experiencing more breakouts than normal due to more sweating and sun exposure that we see in the summer. This is also the time of year that we are starting to see sun damage caused from longer daylight hours and more sun exposure.
Let’s talk about breakouts. Summer is a time when our skin can encounter a lot of extra stressors that can lead to acne. Trips to the beach and pool this summer can actually harm your skin’s barrier. Did you know that sunburn can actually lead to acne? When the skin gets burned, it naturally produces more oil to help heal the burned and damaged skin. If we have any skin that is peeling and it gets combined with that excess oil our skin is producing, that can lead to clogged pores and acne. Although sweating through exercise can help to detoxify the skin from impurities, if we are not washing our skin immediately after sweating, those toxins we sweat out can cause acne if they are left sitting on the skin for any period of time. Some sunscreens can even cause breakouts if they contain ingredients that are comedogenic (like coconut oil), or chemical screens that physically warm up the skin with sun exposure. The heat can cause inflammation in the skin which can lead to acne and aging.
The bacteria that causes acne, called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), or Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), is an aerotolerant anaerobic bacilli, which means that it cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. When we wear heavy chemical sunscreen or makeup, we reduce the amount of oxygen that can freely circulate and oxygenate the skin. This is one of the many reasons why washing your makeup off every night is so important. Wearing sunglasses or hats frequently can also cause acne mechanica, which is caused when friction from sunglasses or hats rubs, blocks or clogs pores leading to the formation of acne (we also see this frequently in athletes who wear facial masks that touch their skin when they are sweaty and hot, like baseball and football players). Washing your skin as soon as you are done with exercise or sweating from being out in the heat can help decrease acne.
When the skin gets burned, it naturally produces more oil to help heal the burned and damaged skin. If we have any skin that is peeling and it gets combined with that excess oil our skin is producing, that can lead to clogged pores and acne.
Although acne may make you want to scrub your skin to get it clean, now is not the time to overdo it with irritating scrubs, or masks or acids at home. You do not want to compromise your skin’s protective barrier any further because that will leave your skin more irritated and prone to further acne breakouts. So what should you do? First of all, remember to keep wearing a facial hydrator or moisturizer every day, as this can prevent your skin from drying out and being as irritated and prone to overproduction of oil. Anti-inflammatory agents such as aloe vera, cucumber, green tea, and raw local honey will work best to reduce the inflammation that causes acne.
SUmmer SKin CARE TIPS:
Remember to keep wearing a facial hydrator or moisturizer every day, as this can prevent your skin from drying out and being as irritated and prone to overproduction of oil. Anti-inflammatory agents such as aloe vera, cucumber, green tea, and raw local honey will work best to reduce the inflammation that causes acne.
Use Vitamin C: Summer is also a time when we tend to get more sun exposure, and therefore we can also see more sun damage in the skin. Vitamin C is an excellent way to brighten up and lighten skin, while at the same time infusing the skin with anti-oxidants.
Get a Summer FACIAL: We have an amazing new Illumination Orange Vitamin C Anti-Pigment Hydrojelly Mask that is both brightening and anti-inflammatory. It contains orange peel, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and glutathione to reduce the production of melanin, help hydrate, even out the tone of skin, and lighten discoloration. It also has a calming sensation to the skin. We also use our oat milk hydrating mask to help infuse the skin with hyaluronic acid and calm the skin with soothing oat milk. This facial concludes with an application of two different types of hyaluronic acid to help deeply hydrate the skin, and to also superficially plump dry or dehydrated skin. This gentle facial is appropriate for dry or sensitive skin.
Use Medical-Grade Skincare Products: The ideal time to start new skincare products is immediately after a facial, microneedling, or peel treatment because we have thoroughly cleansed and exfoliated your skin, so your new products can penetrate deeper to give your skin a more dynamic change in tone and texture. We have several you can choose from, or we can offer suggestions for a custom skincare regime that works for you!
