Summer skincare: Tips to prevent acne breakouts and pimples amid heat and humidity

Strategies for preventing acne during the summer season, including skincare routines and lifestyle adjustments

Elevated ambient temperatures and humidity levels enhance sweat gland activity resulting in excessive sweating, which can clog pores to cause or exacerbate acne or pimple breakouts. To prevent acne during the summer season, individuals should implement specific skincare routines and lifestyle adjustments.

Summer skincare: Tips to prevent acne breakouts and pimples amid heat and humidity (Image by Freepik)

Summer Acne Triggers:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Kusumika Kanak, Consultant Dermatologist at Sahyadri Super Speciality Hospital in Pune's Hadapsar, shared, “Summer time brings with it more humidity and moisture and temperature swings that can cause the skin to produce more oil, which aggravates acne. Furthermore, excessive perspiration can clog pores with debris and oil, making acne worse and perhaps causing other skin problems.”

The expert added, “Few lifestyle adjustments and stress management can significantly aid in managing skin health during summer season. Keeping yourself hydrated, wearing protective and light clothing, and seeking shade during peak sunny hours can all help reduce the impact of high temperatures and intense sun exposure on your skin. By adapting these basic skincare and lifestyle practices to the changing seasons, we can better manage conditions like acne and protect our skin from the harsh effects of summer weather.”

Skincare Routines and Lifestyle Adjustments:

Dr Rajat Gupta, MBBS, MD (Skin), FIADVL, FEADV (Europe), Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetologist and Laser Surgeon at Max Smart Hospital in New Delhi, suggested, “In summers it is important to use gentle cleansers and light weight moisturisers. As Occlusive oil based moisturisers and makeups can easily clog the pores making skin acne prone. Wearing breathable cotton clothes and taking bath after your work out and gym session is a must to prevent body acne. Also this is the season when diet should not be neglected, staying hydrated, applying non comedogenic sunscreen and eating healthy diet helps great deal in acne.”

Dr Rajesh Jaria, Consultant Internal Medicine at PD Hinduja Hospital and MCR in Khar, opined, “Specialised skincare solutions, particularly sunscreens, do help. An oily acne-prone skin benefits from oil-free sunscreen and a dry sensitive skin benefits from a sunscreen with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and other loss of hydration preventing content. The above applies to both sexes.” He recommended the following tips to prevent acne:

• Wash face intermittently clearing grime and heavy makeup.
• Do not pluck acne.
• Blot sweat from skin – do not wipe skin as wiping can irritate skin resulting in a breakout.
• Wash sweaty clothes, headbands, towels, hats before wearing them again.
• Preferentially use non-comedogenic products on face, neck, back, and chest.

Dr Nidhi Jindal, Consultant Dermatology at New town AAI, Kolkata, concluded, “Increase in temperature and humidity enhances sebum and sweat production, which can clog pores. Acne breakouts can be prevented by adding cleansers with sebum reducers like salicylic acid to the daily regime. Sweat should be dabbed dry and not wiped off which might lead to breakouts. Wash sweaty clothes and hats before using. Use skin care products labelled as non-comedogenic or oil free.”