How the Environment Can Affect Your Skin

The regional climate or current weather can have daunting effects on your skin, whether it’s dry, hot, or humid, the skin on your body is the first thing to suffer. Weather that’s more extreme can have an even longer lasting effect on the body and cause new skin condition you didn’t even know existed. For those that already have skin conditions, these extremes can worsen those conditions.

Harsh Winter Weather

One of the primary seasons that affect the skin is winter. Since humidity levels drop an incredible amount during these times, the air becomes drier. While your skin may not suffer deeper into winter, the rapid and extreme drop from humid to dry is what can really mess up your skin. Furthermore, those that go from a hot building (such as school or work) to the outside world can suffer daily from temperature fluctuations.

Risks:

Your skin is susceptible to many risks when it comes to the weather. Some of these include:

• Experiencing dry air – both inside and out; your skin can become dehydrated
• Flakiness occurs the most during winter months
• Your skin is especially susceptible to wrinkles during dry weather, and those that already exist are more prominent
• Conditions like eczema worsen during the winter
• Sudden drops in temperature can harm the skin over time, taking its toll and causing contractions in the capillaries – this is what causes skin to become red and stay red for periods of time in the cold weather

Benefits of Exposing Skin to Different Cooler Weather

When you expose your skin to cold weather, you’re preventing the secretion of oil, which ensures that your face has reduced shine. Those who wear makeup and have trouble with oily faces and your products not working, will benefit the most from this. Cooler weather also slows down the oil process, so if you’ve noticed your skin becoming a little better after visiting your family in the Northeast hemisphere – this is why!

Recommendations for Dealing with the Cold Winter

• Put moisture back into the air of your home with a humidifier
• Drink more water in the cooler months
• Keep your skin covered when you go out
• Hydrate your skin with heavy creams
• Use anti-inflammatory products
• Exfoliate in a routine manner

Scorching Summer Weather

Cold is definitely something to worry about, but you can have a plethora of issues in the summer, as well. When the humidity and heat is increased, you can suffer from rashes, oily skin, and even breakouts. The air isn’t as clean, either.

Risks:

• Your skin will produce more oil
• Sweat can cause breakouts, especially on oil skin
• The heat can cause heat rash, or cholinergic urticaria
• Air conditioning can remove moisture in the area, reducing skin hydration

Recommendations for Dealing with the Scorching Summer Weather

• Use a light moisturizer – not a heavy cream
• Always use sunscreen, even when it’s cold

Higher rates of pollution occur in the summer, which can speed up the wrinkle process and aging process as a whole. Protecting with sunscreen and using an anti-oxidant product will fight against this.

When the weather changes, your skin care regimen should also change. Set yourself up with a summer regimen and a winter regimen to help your skin combat the havoc-inducing weather shifts.

If you’d like more information on how to keep your skin perfect in rapidly changing weather, contact Amitees Laser Clinic at 416-880-5958 today.