Summer poses some unique challenges for skin care, particularly for those with oily or acne-prone skin! The added discomfort caused by heat, humidity, and sweat, especially when combined with makeup, can be a real hindrance to your skincare goals. However, all hope is not lost! There are several steps you can take to manage oily skin during the Summer months.
Tip One: Change to a Cleanser with Salicylic Acid
A simple,but effective way to help combat oily skin in the Summer is to switch to a cleanser designed for “acne prone” skin – even if you don’t have acne! These cleansers will contain a salicylic acid, which helps get rid of excess oil production and can aid in keeping pores clean and gently exfoliating away dead skin cells.
Tip Two: Switch Sunscreens
While we are strong advocates for wearing sunscreen year round, we understand that with beach vacations and extra time by the pool, you may be liberally applying more sunscreen than normal. It is possible that switching the type of sunscreen you use could help alleviate some extra oil production – especially if you’re using a chemical sunscreen. A chemical sunscreen is one that absorbs into your skin and converts the sun’s UV rays into heat before releasing them from the body. Oily skin types tend to have better luck with physical sunscreen aka “mineral sunscreen” which sits on top of skin and reflects the sun’s rays. Also ensure that it is labeled “non comedogenic” and oil-free so that it won’t clog pores and is specially designed with mattifying ingredients.
Tip Three: Take a Makeup Breather
Like our muscles sometimes need a “rest” day from a routine of hard workouts, your skin could be struggling to keep up with repeated applications of lots of makeup and skincare products. We recommend taking a few days to go “makeup free” and maybe simplifying your skincare down to just a cleanser, moisturizer and spf to give it some recovery time.
If none of the above seems to help your skin’s oil production, it may be time for a treatment evaluation. We would be more than happy to evaluate your skin and come up with a recommended skincare regimen and potentially even a treatment plan to aid in over-production of oil if we find that to be an issue. Contact our office to schedule your appointment!
The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Sources for the above information include The American Academy of Dermatology. If you have questions or concerns, please call our office or make an appointment with a medical professional. Savannah River Dermatology is located at 575 Furys Ferry Rd in Augusta, Ga. Our office can be reached at706-691-7079.
