Now that summer is finally here, we all get to relax and spend our days stretched out beside a pool or beach, drink in hand. Or at least, that’s what we wish we could be doing all summer. It’s hard to resist outdoor adventures when the weather is beautiful and the days are long and seemingly endless.

Here’s the thing though: not to be a damper on your summer, but you’ve got your skin think about. There is a lot that goes on in the summer sun that you need to be aware of to protect your skin and prevent skin damage or potentially making your acne worse.

But we’ve got you covered. Here is a list of tips to help you get through the summer with happy, healthy skin.
1. Sunscreen

I started with this one because, while it is obvious that you should wear sunscreen while hanging out by the pool or being outside all day, what isn’t so obvious is that you should be wearing sunscreen all day, every day. Rain or shine. Inside or outside. The sun can be tricky, as UV rays can still damage your skin even if it’s cloudy or raining outside and UVA rays can come through your windows when you are inside.

The importance of sunscreen is tremendous, especially if you have acne. Long-term sun exposure can cause extreme dryness and can also cause breakouts.

To protect your skin, find a sunscreen that has a high SPF formula. It is also vital to avoid products that contain ingredients such as shea butter, as they can clog your pores and invite breakouts.

A prime example of a good sunscreen to use would be one like our Sun Guard SPF 30, as it has all the elements mentioned above without the pore-clogging effects of most supermarket products.

2. Occlude Your Skin When You Go Swimming

To occlude means to “block” or “stop up.” When I say you should occlude your skin, naturally that sounds counterintuitive to the first tip in this post, which is to avoid products that clog your pores, but let me explain.

When you go swimming, iodides in pools and salt in the ocean can dry your skin out excessively. Not to mention bacteria and germs floating around just waiting to sink into your poor, unsuspecting pores.

Therefore, you must protect your skin by using products like Aquaphor before entering a swimming pool, ocean, or any body of water containing iodides or salt. This will help your skin stay safe from drying, bacteria, and iodides, which are harmful and can cause acne to flare up.

 3. No Sweat

Of course sweating is a natural byproduct of summer. Being outside is one of the best parts about this time of year. But did you know that letting your sweat sit on your skin can cause breakouts? Because it definitely can.

Acne is caused by an overproduction of sebum and dead skin cells. Sexy, right? Especially when you want to look good in a new outfit when you’re on your way to a summer pool party. But when you let sweat sit on your skin, it invites more dirt, bacteria and other unwanted particles to stick and get stuck in your pores.

Do yourself a favor and grab a good acne safe toner.  You can take a couple cotton pads soaked in toner with you anywhere and wipe away that sweat and dirt as you go. This is perfect for hikes, working out, or just a day out and about in the sun.

4. Suntanned or Sunburned?

When you’re at the pool or the beach this summer and your friend inevitably hands you a bottle of SPF 14 with coconut oil, you’re going to have a choice to make. You can either take that bottle and throw it into the nearby ocean, or you can slather it on your skin and hope for the best.

My recommendation is that you do neither and bring your own sunscreen. To ensure the health of your skin, you must avoid sunburns at all costs.

It’s imperative for many reasons, but the most important being that sunburns break down the pore, cause extreme dryness, and of course, cause skin cancer.

Don’t make the same mistakes that other people do with their skin; when it comes to sunbathing, you can still get a tan by using a high SPF sunscreen. It will protect your skin and potentially save your life.

But most of all, enjoy the weather and we hope these tips help you stay safe and keep your skin healthy this summer.

For more information and skincare tips make sure to read the rest of our blog under the education section at UtahAcneClinic.com