Guest blogger Lisa Stigliano, Medical Esthetician at Bella Santé, explains the relationship between summer sun and premature aging.

SKIN & SUMMER SUN

It may be the psychological healer of moods, but summer wreaks havoc on skin. If we don’t take the necessary steps to change our habits and skincare routine we can expect to age prematurely at a RAPID pace.

Summer is about heat and sunshine. Understanding summer heat is just as essential as knowing the dangers of summer’s sun. When it gets hot outdoors, and we’re not cooling off in air conditioning, we are subject to side effects unless we take the necessary precautions.

SUMMER’S EFFECT ON ACNE

Heat causes excessive sweating which in turn releases chloride and sodium on the skin. Are you an acne sufferer? Sadly, sweat is your enemy! Acne becomes even more inflamed and infected from sweat and can double on your face and body; anywhere you have skin. If you suffer from any skin condition at all controlling body heat is essential to prevent exacerbation of your condition.

You don’t have acne or any other skin condition? Unfortunately, you it’s still easy to develop a rash of itchy and uncomfortable whiteheads. Heat raises the bacteria level in our core, and unless it’s very dry outside, sweating doesn’t cool the body down very well. Sweat cannot evaporate in humidity, and sweat that cannot evaporate raises bacteria levels leads to infection. Remember, excessive heat causes inflammation in our skin and organs. Drinking plenty of water and knowing when to get out of the heat will be your only prevention from ailments that range from heat rashes and skin infections to heat stroke. Consider heat the breeding ground where bacteria can grow.

SUMMER SUN’S DANGEROUS RAYS

Although the summer sun creates heat for happy days ahead, sunshine is dangerous to our skin. If not for the ozone layer, the UVC rays would keep us indoors
permanently. The sun’s ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB, cause premature aging and skin cancer. Reminder: you’re still getting sun on a cloudy day!

At the very least, the sun causes the skin to change color temporarily. However, our ozone layer is depleted and more often than not you will experience a tan or a burn that turns your skin into a blotchy mess better known as hyper-pigmentation. (Those dark patches that don’t belong on your cheeks, the age spots, and the freckles you didn’t inherit!) We all make mistakes, and yes, there are solutions to even the most stubborn sunshine side effects. With the advent of new skin therapies, we CAN reverse most pigmentation. However, even if you’ve reversed some of the effects of aging on the skin, you still have to take precautionary measures against the sun.