Summertime Tips to Keep the Sun From Wreaking Havoc on Your Skin

Summertime comes with a unique set of challenges for your body. 

Your acne may get worse, as some skin care treatments aren’t recommended during this time of the year. Plus, you have to find a fine balance between getting enough Vitamin D and avoiding sunburn. 

Here are a few tips from our team at Seacoast Dermatology to help protect your skin from the negative effects of sunrays. 

1. Protect your skin when outside, especially between 10am and 4pm

If you can, avoid going outside during daylight hours when the sun is most intense. 

No sunscreen can completely block UV light from the sun. Besides, most people apply too little sunscreen, and sweating can remove some of the product as well. 

If you want to stay protected for at least a couple of hours, opt for a sunscreen with SPF 30 or above. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen after getting in the water at the beach or the pool. 

Also, when golfing or participating in outdoor activities, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat and special sun-protective clothing. This type of clothing usually offers an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of about 30. 

2. Plan your chemical peel carefully

Chemical peels can do wonders for your skin, as they remove the upper layers of the skin and, with it, dead skin cells and impurities.

But these procedures do have a few downsides, and sun sensitivity is one of them.

If you opt for a chemical peel during the summer, you must use sunscreen indoors and reapply it every three hours since UV rays can come through windows.

Many patients fail to do this and end up with hyperpigmentation and serious skin damage because the new skin layer is more sensitive to UV exposure. 

3. Apply sunscreen if you’re undergoing an acne treatment 

Some acne treatments make the skin more sensitive to the sun. And during the summer, you may get more acne from sweating, so skipping your acne-fighting routine might not be a good idea either. 

If you use retinol, benzoyl peroxide, certain oral antibiotics or Accutane, don’t forget to use a sunscreen that’s at least 30 SPF. And since many acne treatments can dry out your skin, and sun exposure dries it even further, consider using a moisturizer as well. 

UV rays are the biggest external contributors to skin cancer and wrinkles

Both basal cell and squamous cell cancer appear more commonly in individuals who have a history of increased sun exposure. Melanoma is also linked to sun exposure, and so are lip and eye cancers. 

On top of this, sun exposure is the biggest external factor that leads to collagen breakdown and loss of elasticity in the skin. 

If you are worried about sun damage or you suspect unusual moles on your skin, contact our team of dermatologists at Seacoast Dermatology in New Hampshire for expert advice and guidance. You can call us at 603-431-5205 or book an appointment online.