A Dermatologist’s Guide to Healthy Summer Skin

You did it. You braved those endless chilly months and managed to keep your skin in tiptop condition through the winter. And now that you’re fresh-faced and glowing ... it’s time to mix things up with a whole new set of skin issues — summer edition.

But before you panic, our dermatologists are back with tips on how to keep your skin healthy in the heat and sun this season, so you can keep your skin feeling its best.

Here’s what’s causing summer skin problems

Summer comes with so many nice things: sunshine, long days, warm nights, frozen treats. However, it can be rough on your skin.

“Summertime brings about several changes that affect the skin,” says S. Max Vale, MD, a dermatologist at UW Medicine Primary Care at South Lake Union. “Increased sun exposure and a higher UV index can lead to sunburns, premature skin aging and skin cancer, while higher temperatures also mean more sweating, which can worsen acne, heat rash, irritation where skin rubs together, and, for some people, even flare eczema.”

What does this mean for you? Basically, giving your skin a little extra summertime lovin’ is not really an option but more of a necessity.

Here are the most common skin issues and how to prevent them.

Heat, humidity and moisture

This is obviously a big one, especially for folks who are on the, uh, sweatier side of the spectrum. The moisture can be especially irritating in your skin folds or in areas where you experience skin-on-skin friction (like your thighs, in the groin area, under your breasts, etc.). It can also cause heat rash and worsen other skin conditions, like acne and eczema.

Solution: To help with chafing, you can try wearing moisture-wicking or athletic compression-style garments to help reduce friction or even one of those whole-body deodorant options that you’ve seen pop up on social media.

“If you tend to get irritated in skin folds, drying the area well with a towel and then using a blow-dryer on a cool setting can help get the area very dry,” says April Schachtel, MD, a dermatologist at the Dermatology Clinic at UW Medical Center – Roosevelt. “Then protect thin skin with a thin layer of Vaseline or other moisturizer to prevent chafing.”

And your existing skin conditions that the heat and humidity are making even worse? Make sure to check in with your dermatologist, who can help you figure out the best approach.

Increased UV exposure

It burns! Or it can burn when your UV exposure goes up in the summertime. Not only do sunburns hurt, but they can also increase your risk for skin cancer and premature wrinkling and aging (no thank you).

Solution: Applying sunscreen is the most obvious way to protect yourself from UV rays. Vale recommends using a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen daily, even on cloudy days (up to 80% of ultraviolet rays can penetrate cloud cover). He also notes that sunscreen should be applied liberally every two hours when you’re outside and after you’ve been swimming or heavily sweating.

Sun-protective clothing, often with a UPF rating, is also useful, as are wide-brimmed hats.

“Investing in sun-protective clothing that will last year after year often is more cost-effective than buying bottle after bottle of sunscreen,” says Vale. “And, keep in mind, no matter how fancy or elegant your sunscreen is, you will still need to reapply every two hours in the summer sun, so don’t break the bank.”

You should look for a UPF rating of 50+ for optimal protection against UV rays (which is also how high the clothing needs to be to obtain the Skin Cancer Foundation’s seal of recommendation).

Outdoor allergens

Issues with allergens in the Great Outdoors, like bug bites or reactions to plants — think the dreaded poison oak or poison ivy rash — are also more common during the summer months. Not only are they super itchy and disruptive to your idyllic family camping trip, but they can even be dangerous if you have a serious allergic reaction.

Solution: The easiest way to avoid bug bites is to use bug repellent with DEET or picaridin, especially if you are out at dusk or dawn. You should also make sure you and your loved ones aren’t accidentally frolicking through fields of unfriendly flora and fauna (like stinging nettle and poison oak in Western Washington and poison ivy in eastern Washington). So, learning how to ID harmful plants might be a good thing to check into.

Water irritants

Yes, we love a good dip in local lakes and rivers, but we don’t love the critters that can sometimes come along. Swimmer’s itch, also called cercarial dermatitis, can occur when microscopic parasites are present in the water and burrow inside your skin, triggering an allergic reaction. The parasites die, but the reaction causes itchiness, burning, hives or welts. Chlorinated pools can also be a problem — bothering skin by drying it out and stripping away its natural oils.

Solution: You don’t necessarily need to avoid the water if you take some precautions.

“Shower off shortly after swimming, especially after lake swimming,” says Schachtel. “Dry off the drops of water with a towel, then while your skin is still damp, apply a thin layer of moisturizer all over.”

Vale also encourages showering right after swimming, whether in a natural body of water or in the pool. But he cautions against overdoing the soap, which can damage the skin barrier if it’s used multiple times a day. He recommends soaping the areas that tend to get smellier (armpits, groin, etc.) but just rinsing the rest of your body.

Other skincare tips to keep in mind

Aside from those recommendations, your skincare routine shouldn’t need too many dramatic changes over the summer.

“The core elements should still include gentle cleansers, moisturizers and sunscreen,” says Vale. “If you’re breaking out or feeling too greasy, then opt for lighter-weight products, such as lotions and gels, rather than thick creams and ointments.”

A few other tips he recommends:

• If your wintertime cleanser is not leaving you feeling refreshed and clean in the summertime, try a foaming cleanser.
• Exfoliation can help maintain smooth and radiant skin and keep pores unclogged. However, AHAs like glycolic acid, lactic acid and mandelic acid can increase your risk of sunburn, so apply that sunscreen.
• If you are prone to breakouts or pimples in the summertime, try adding hypochlorous acid to your routine. Gentle hypochlorous acid sprays can reduce bacteria and skin inflammation and are great post-workout.
• Make sure you change out of sweaty clothes as soon as possible and wash your laundry frequently.

Plus, some medications and supplements make you more sensitive to the sun, so check in with your doctor if you feel like you’re having a weird sun reaction or if you’re concerned about any skin issues.

You can still have a fun, sun-drenched summer while keeping your skin happy and hydrated. Just follow these simple steps to keep your skin cared for ... and then go put on more sunscreen.