Did you know that approximately 50 million Americans experience acne every year? According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, acne is the most common skin complaint in the United States. More often than not, it begins in puberty. However, the condition can still appear when you are an adult.
Puberty-related acne is typically linked to a sudden change in hormones, which occurs during adolescence. Hormonal fluctuations can lead to an increased secretion of sebum and oil, which can lead to clogged-up pores. Unfortunately, it’s the reason why pimples appear to plague young people.
However, you may still be affected by unpleasant outbreaks as an adult. Why does acne continue to happen throughout your 20s, 30s, 40s, and even later in life?
The answer is more complex than it seems. There could be a variety of causes for acne in adult life, ranging from stress to lifestyle choices. But summer is a season that tends to increase the risk of pimple outbreaks, and here is why it happens and how to fight it sustainably.
The importance of packaging
Skincare has become an essential ritual, not only in terms of mental and physical self-care but also as a social expectation. People are expected to take better care of their skin because society now has access to better information regarding skin health.
Additionally, countless beauty and fashion magazines have jumped on the trends and offered insights into the skincare routine of celebrities and influencers, such as Vogue Magazine.
Unfortunately, the popular 10 steps skincare routine models that have become viral on social media present a huge inconvenience to the environment. The global skincare market size is expected to reach $145.8 billion by 2028 as people become more aware of their skin needs. Unfortunately, skin care products also bring packaging. As the market is growing, its impact on the environment needs to reduce rapidly.
So, if you are considering the purchase of new acne-focused products, you want to focus on brands that are actively reducing packaging waste and making green choices.
How to choose the right green products for your skin
You can work closely with a dermatologist to determine what your skin needs. It is not uncommon for dermatologists to have a specialist brand they partner with or help design. However, they also have knowledge of other brands and can help you make a better choice for your skin health.
A dermatologist can help you with:
- Identifying brands with natural ingredients
- Recognizing brands that have a low environmental impact through manufacturing to packaging processes
- Understanding which ingredients are best for you
- Cutting down and simplifying your routine (more is not necessarily better)
It may be worth also keeping a journal of the products you use as part of your beauty routine, as makeup or moisturizing lotion could be the cause of your outbreaks.
Summer skin inflammation problems
Why is your skin more likely to be inflamed in summer?
Summer is a season that makes a lot of promises but rarely delivers. You may be planning for a lovely day, so you can give your favorite light summer dress a spin. But, the temperatures can rise suddenly and ruin your plan. Suddenly, the dress feels suffocating on your skin, trapping the sweat under the surface. Additionally, you might find it hard to stay hydrated in summer. Mild dehydration is a frequent occurrence, leading to water retention, which can cause frictions against the dress fabric. You may notice red marks around the armpits, the elbows, and the waist, where light swelling can lead to discomfort. The condition is not dangerous and is often easily regulated via increasing your water intake over a few days. It can also be helpful to avoid excessive sun exposure so your body can keep its moisture. But the combination of frictions and sweat may lead to inflamed outbreaks. You can help with solutions that can soothe, cleanse, and target inflammation. You may even have everything you need already at home. Have you heard about the skin-calming benefits of using colloidal oatmeal? A mixture of water and oatmeal can work wonders on your summer skin, helping reduce problems in the typical areas.
Other causes of inflammation and acne in summer can be mosquito or other bug bites. The summer heat may increase discomfort around the area where you’ve been bitten. So it gets harder not to scratch. Yet, the more you scratch, the more likely you are to tear through the upper skin layer. This could increase the risk of exposure to bacteria, dirt, or even waste products such as sweat, causing inflammation and clogged pores.
Sunscreen protection is a must, but at which cost?
Ideally, you should wear sunscreen lotion daily, regardless of the season. Yet, most people tend to skip protection in winter and focus only on the summer day. As tempting as it is to buy lotions in inexpensive family packs, you want to research the skin benefits of each lotion.
Indeed, sunscreen cream is the number one cause of acne outbreaks in summer, as it can clog the pores. Some sunscreens may also use chemicals that can irritate the skin and increase the risk of breakouts. So, you want to ensure you pick a sunscreen that is safe for your skin type. Read the label carefully to check whether:
- It includes oil, which is a no-no for oily skin
- It mentions comedogenic ingredients (or is not labeled as a non-comedogenic sunscreen)
You can help clear your skin naturally with this homemade skin hygiene recipe that can reduce redness and inflammation.
Dermatologists also recommend mineral sunscreens, which tend to be lightweight and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Chemical sunscreens tend to increase sweating, which can affect your pores. Select also a product that contains niacinamide, which can help control breakouts.
Your diet affects your skin
You are what you eat. Nutritionists recommend healthy foods that can address skin balance and health, such as fatty fish for keeping your skin hydrated, walnuts for reducing inflammation, and bell peppers for bringing in antioxidants. Summer is the best season for healthy salads that are packed with nutrients and vitamins.
Yet, it’s also a season for indulgence! After all, the sun is hot, so it’s the perfect weather to have ice cream at the beach. Americans consume approximately 22 pounds of ice cream every year, and the hot weather contributes to increased consumption. Unfortunately, two of the main ingredients in ice cream are tightly connected to acne outbreaks: dairy products and sugar. The yummy summer scoops in a cone could well be the cause of your frequent outbreaks. The quickest way to know is to write a journal of your daily activities and food, comparing skin health day after day. You may also want to experiment with removing some food groups from your summer diet.
Another surprising effect of the nice weather is the friendly garden party and BBQ event. With Independence Day celebrations, you might find yourself standing in front of a garden grill, preparing burgers for your guests. Prolonged exposure to the smoke could lead to buildups on your skin, which could affect its health and appearance. So, if you are a BBQ lover, you may want to take good care of your skin hygiene during and after a grill party:
- Avoid touching your face while in the vicinity of a BBQ
- Always wash your hands after handling raw meat or any part of the grill
- Wash your face thoroughly after a BBQ to ensure you can remove fine smoke particles that may clog your pores
Let’s be real: Summer leads to excessive sweating
If you live in a region that is prone to heatwaves, you are probably familiar with uncomfortable nights at the peak of the summer. Your body sweats more during the summer than it does in winter. So, you might notice dry sweat patches on your pillow or mattress cover. These patches can also trap bacteria. The last thing you want at night is to lie down on top of a bacteria pool. While it is unlikely to put your immune system at risk if you are healthy, it could affect your skin and lead to acne outbreaks.
As a rule of thumb, you should change your bed sheets at least once a week in summer. It may even be easier to switch to daily changes during a heatwave, especially if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.
The same principle also applies to your bath and face towels, as they accumulate dirt and bacteria.
Some ideas to reduce sweating at night:
- You can place your bed sheets in the freezer for a few minutes before making the bed at night.
- If you have a bed water bottle, you can also place it in the freezer during the day so it is ready to use when you go to bed.
- A cold shower will increase sweating as your body experiences a temperature shock. Instead, try to take a short shower at a warmer temperature, closer to your body’s natural temperature.
Hopefully, these few ideas can help you understand and manage the unpleasant summer outbreaks. Keep your skin clean and fresh this summer with strategic and sustainable choices in terms of cleansing routines, products, and everyday lifestyle!
No comments yet.