Summer Skin – Staying Protected All Summer Long

Summer is coming and that means skimpy fashions leaving your skin out for the kill, well skimpy for some. Staying protected is something every Mother thinks about for her children, but rarely thinks about for herself. Yes ladies, it is important to protect yourselves too! This summer, lets not only protect our children but protect ourselves too. Want to learn how you can maintain healthy skin all summer long? Learn a dermatologist’s secrets for healthy summer skin right here now!

Cleanse Your Skin Regularly

Most people don’t even think about this as it is apart of their daily morning routine as is. A good skin care regimen always includes properly cleansing the skin. Daily cleansing will get rid of makeup, dry skin cells, and the sweat that can occur just by standing outside in the summer heat for a few minutes. Keep your face clean to avoid skin problems such as blotchiness and acne.

No More Caramel Toned Skin…

Now yes, this one can be a bit of a tough one. We are sun soakers and love the sun, so tanning is generally going to happen whether intentional or not. Tanning can have a lot of bad effects on your skin, including skin damage & increased risk of skin cancer. So think to yourself, is delicious looking skin that you’ve fried day in and day out truly worth the future health risks?

In some instances it can be hard to avoid tanning, since the sun does follow around when you are outdoors. There are some things you can to do help minimize the affect sun has on your skin and to decrease your chances at future health risks.

Use sunscreen.

Yes, that fancy stuff that is sold in just about every grocery store, variety store and Joe Blow down the road trying to make a few bucks. That stuff you lather your kids up with… it makes a difference. Sunscreen should be worn all year long whenever there’s a chance of sun exposure. This is especially important in the summer, when there is more sunlight and when people tend to spend more time outdoors. Sunscreens protect against sunburns and premature aging of skin, and they reduce the risk of skin cancer. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Apply it liberally at least half hour before going outside. Don’t forget to apply it on the face, tips of ears and back of the neck!

Moisturize.

Most of us do this regularly and apart of our daily routine. Go pat yourself on the back! You are doing some good for your skin. Moisturizers are important for winter and summer skin. Most people do not have dry skin problems in the summer, but keeping skin moist isn’t moisturizers’ only role. Moisturizers also improve skin tone, protect sensitive skin and hide tiny imperfections. Some moisturizers also contain other ingredients, such as sunscreens, to reduce your risk of sunburns and skin cancer.

Keep hydrated.

NO! This does not include alcoholic drinks. Water is vital throughout the summer months, and winter months. Your body is water and during the summer, you tend to sweat out the majority of your water very quickly. Staying hydrated is very important to your overall health and your skins health. By drinking plenty of water and other non-alcoholic liquids, you will improve the feel and appearance of your skin. The summer can be an especially dangerous time for dehydration because of the increased heat, the time spent outdoors and the increased sweating.

Avoid excessive air conditioning.

This is a dreadful one, but a great one. Not only will you be doing good for your skin, but also for the environment. Air conditioning is actually very bad on your skin. It dries it out because of the low humidity which then leaves you having to moisturize more often and be drinking plenty more fluids. Sure, on those scorching hot days it is hard to avoid air conditioning, so instead of sitting in air conditioning for hours on end, go swimming, run in the sprinkler or make things even more fun and have a water fight with the kiddies!

Do you have some tips to keep healthy happy skin all summer long?