While we should be thinking about how to protect our skin at all times of the year, it becomes crucial during the hot and sunny summer months. Our Ottawa cosmetic medical professionals talk about the effects of the sun on the skin and offer some summer skin care tips.
Healthy Tips For Summer Skin Care
Caring for your skin is an important part of your daily routine and it is crucial to provide your skin with the best protection possible at all times, especially during the hot and humid summertime. Here are some tips and advice when it comes to skincare for summer.
Wash Your Face Regularly
Hot summer air can make your skin sweaty and oily. It is important to wash your face daily to remove all of the sweat and dirt that has accumulated and help keep your skin and pores clean. If you have dry skin our cosmetic specialists recommend a non-foaming cleanser preferably a mild, alcohol-free pH balanced cleanser.
Use Sunscreen at All Times
The sun produces two types of rays, UV-A and UV-B. Both of these types can be quite harsh on your skin. These rays can not only cause sunburns and tans but can also cause premature aging, age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. At Pure Medical Cosmetics we offer a couple of different sunscreen products to help you protect your skin including:
Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 by Nelly De Vuyst
Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 by Nelly DeVuyst is an incredibly lightweight anti-aging sun protection that envelopes the skin to moisturize and protect without leaving a greasy residue or white finish.
ZO® Skin Health Sunscreen+Primer
The ZOX12® complex in ZO® Sunscreen+Primer hydrates and protects against the damaging effects of UVA/UVB and IR-A rays and from HEV light. Makes an ideal makeup primer for a smooth matte finish.
Are you meeting the recommended SPF minimums?
Sunscreen may seem like an obvious part of skincare for summer, but are you aware of the minimum SPF required to prevent skin problems?
Whether you spend most of your time indoors or outdoors you should always apply a sunscreen that contains SPF 30 - 50 in order to best protect your skin. You should always reapply your sunscreen after you have spent any time in the water.
Are you applying sunscreen regularly?
While avoiding the sun entirely might be out of the question, the one thing you should always do is wear sunscreen.
Look for sunscreens that offer:
- at least SPF 30
- broad spectrum protection
- lip protection
Providing your skin with sun protection will go a long way in helping to prevent various types of damage and lower the potential for skin cancers to develop.
While sun protection is important at all times of the year, including the winter, it is a crucial part of any daily skin routine during the hotter summer months. During this time we tend to spend an increased amount of time outside in the sunshine.
When choosing a sunscreen for both your face and body, it is important to pick one that contains SPF 30 or higher in order to provide adequate protection.
How Sun Damage Affects Your Skin
- Wrinkling
- Pigmentation changes such as age spots, liver spots (solar lentigines) and freckles
- Loss of skin tone (decreased elasticity)
- Rough, uneven skin texture
- Broken capillaries (spider veins), usually around the nose and chest
- Redness and blotchiness
Repairing Your Skin After Sun Damage
Once fall has arrived and summer skincare is no longer the focus, you can begin to think about repairing any damage that did occur over the warmer months. Summer can leave your skin tone uneven and patches of dry skin may be discovered, and so now is the time to consider having a facial. Along with facials, chemical peels are also a great option to help renew your skin and fade those dark spots. Your cosmetic medical professional can help you create a post-summer skin care treatment plan to help repair sun damage and reveal fresh, healthy skin.Products That Can Help Repair Your Skin
Repair Complex Cream by Nelly De Vuyst
The Nelly De Vuyst® Repair Complex Cream is recommended as a part of the daily skincare regime for mature, hypersensitive, reactive skin to soothe and moisturize.
ZO® Skin Health Daily Power Defense Cream
Clinically proven Daily Power Defense from ZO® Skin Health strengthens skin’s protective barrier while defending against environmental stressors and premature signs of aging.
Keeping Up With Your Skin Care Routine
A daily summer skincare routine can help you prevent potential issues before they start. There are a few different options when it comes to choosing the products that will work for you and your skin type. If you have dry skin then our cosmetic medical professionals recommend using gel-based products while those with oily skin should use water-based products. Cleansing, toning and moisturizing twice a day is an easy way to help keep your skin feeling great.
Antioxidants for Skin Care
When it comes to hydrating your skin, antioxidants can be a tremendous help. Antioxidants can help in a number of ways such as protecting your skin from environmental factors, increasing collagen production and more. We suggest adding an antioxidant serum to your summer skincare routine.
Along with antioxidant-rich products, you can also receive these vitamins through your diet. Some of the foods that are high in antioxidants include:
- citrus fruits
- green leafy vegetables
- green tea
Keep Both Yourself and Your Skin Hydrated
One of the main things to remember in the summer is to stay hydrated. This goes for both your skin and your body, especially in the summer.
You should always be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the hot months. This can not only help with summer skin health but also with your overall health.
At night we recommend using hydrating face masks once you have cleansed. You can also carry water around to splash or dab on your face or a facial mist to spray on your face as needed.
Take Cool Showers Twice Daily
By now we all have probably heard about how hot showers can severely dry your skin out. But there are other reasons why taking a cool shower can be beneficial.
Cool water can help increase blood flow and skin microcirculation along with keeping your skin hydrated and glowing.
Change Out of Sweaty Clothes
One thing that everyone experiences in the summer months is sweat.
If you and your clothes become sweaty, it can be a breeding ground for bacteria which can lead to folliculitis and other skin rashes. Folliculitis occurs when your follicles become infected and inflamed causing small red bumps that can be extremely uncomfortable as well as unsightly. In order to prevent this from occurring you should be sure to shower (if possible), change your clothes and wash them prior to wearing them again.
In Conclusion
While it's important to protect your skin all year round, there are certain things you should be mindful of when it comes to summer skincare.
Always be sure to apply an SPF 30 sunscreen regularly and reapply if you have been swimming.
Try to relax when it comes to makeup and exfoliate only once a week while using a moisturizer with SPF 30 on your face every day.
By following these summer skin care tips you can help keep your skin healthy and glowing all through the sunny months.