Sunburn, Heat Rash, Acne: How to Deal With Summer Skin Problems

From sunburn to summer acne, we have curated the five most common skin problems and steps to keep them at bay!

How to keep your skin hale and hearty during harsh summers. 

(Photo: iStockphoto)

Summers are here! The temperatures are soaring, sweat keeps pouring and skin is definitely not glowing!

Sunburn, heat rashes, stubborn allergies – summers are here and so are the seasonal skin problems.

But fret not, we have some tips to deal with it. With a little precaution you can keep all your summer skin conditions at bay. Here’s some of the most common skin problems that make their presence felt with the arrival of the summers:

Also Read: The Deadly Summers Have Arrived – Here’s How You Can Beat the Heat

1. It Burns!

Do not go out when the sun is at its peak. (Graphic: iStockphoto)

Sunburn is perhaps the most common of the many summer skin problems. Stepping in the sun and spending time outside might leave you looking like a roasted potato, quite literally. Sun burns are brutal, irritable and often painful.

For preventing sunburn, one needs to follow a three-fold protection strategy. The first is carrying an umbrella. The second is not leaving the home without a thick stole or <i>dupatta </i>wrapped around your face, and sunscreen comes in third.

Dr Mankul Goyal

Sunscreen is a must in summers. For Indian summers, anything above SPF 30 is good. You should take a generous amount of sunscreen and pat it all over your face. Do not rub it like a moisturiser as most of it might not get absorbed in that case... do this 15 to 20 minutes before leaving the house. Repeat every 2-3 hours even when indoors.

Dr Isha Singh Rathore

2. Prickly Heat aka Heat Rash

(GIF Courtesy: Giphy)

If you want to who’s behind the constantly itchy, flaky skin, you have your answer in prickly heat – just a fancy name for the more commonly known heat rash. It appears in the form of small, red rashes and can surface anywhere on the body. Common areas of affliction are the face, neck, chest and back, due to prolonged exposure to heat.

Heat rash is triggered by excessive sweating during hot summer months. Dermatologists say that excess sweat paves the way for dead skin and bacteria to block sweat glands, trapping sweat underneath the skin, leading to itchy and painful bumps.

But you can always guard yourself against prickly heat. The first step is to stay cool and hydrated. Summer essentials such as coconut water, yoghurt, bel ka sharbat etc should form a regular part of your summer diet. Wear light clothes, keep the skin as dry as possible, and you’re good to go!

Mild calamine lotions and aloe vera work well to soothe the affected areas.

3. Folliculitis: Stay Back, Fungus!

Folliculitis is a common skin condition caused due to bacterial or fungal infection. It leads to skin inflammation causing red, itchy bumps to appear. The problem becomes exacerbated in summers because of increased sweating. A change of clothes after a sweaty gym session is an absolute must, so that sweat-drenched fabric doesn’t linger on the body.

Proper hygiene must be maintained during summer months. The area effected by boils should be treated with a bacterial cream.&nbsp;

Dr Shruthi Surwade

4. Chafing Away

(GIF Courtesy: Giphy)

Summers mean chub rub. Your thighs just can’t get enough of each other, meaning much love for them but trouble and embarrassment for you. The difficulty in wearing skirts...!

The culprit behind chafing is of course the humidity, which leads to friction, causing rashes on the inner thighs. “Staying hydrated is the key to prevent chaffing”, says Dr Surwade. She adds:

One must wear aerated clothes and stay away from tight and synthetic clothes. People who are prone to sweating more should make sure they change clothes daily. Other measures such as showering twice a day are also effective in dealing with chafing.&nbsp;

Dr Shruthi Surwade

5. Acne, Summer Edition

A healthy lifestyle is the key to escaping acne. (Photo: iStock)

‘Acne’ is a blanket term, as pimples can have several causes. People who have oily skin are more prone to developing summer acne.&nbsp;

Dr Mankul Goyal

Talking about treatment, Dr Goyal says there are two ways to go about it. First, through symptomatic creams, and second, to actually find out the cause behind it because no two acne are the same. Hormone imbalance, dietary changes (such as not eating on time) and lifestyle patterns can all lead to acne. And in such cases, creams won’t work very effectively.

Evergreen Tips for Happy Summer Skin

Staying hydrated is essential in harsh summer months. (Graphic: iStock)

Staying hydrated is the key to glowing skin, not just during summers but otherwise too. In fact, with the mercury rising you have all the more reason to indulge in a variety of summer drinks.

Also Read: A Kitchen to Survive Summer: Here are the Cooling Foods You Need

Needless to say, you ought to shower once at least, if not twice and avoid allowing your skin to remain wet for long periods of time. Dr Isha Singh suggests using alcohol-free toner during summer months and going gentle on the skin.

Also Read: Here are Six Cooling Foods to Eat on a Stinking Hot Summer Day

Contrary to popular opinion, sunscreen is not the ‘be all and end all’ of summer skin cures. It is crucial, but should not be overdone. Dr Mankul Goyal, in fact, calls the entire trend a “financial gimmick”, adding that our skin needs half a teaspoon of sunscreen which provides only 20-30% of the required protection. He further says that using too much sunscreen can actually induce hormone-disrupting elements in the skin – sometimes leading to acne.

(With inputs from NDTV)