Spring has arrived! Little by little you do not enjoy the sunny days, the warmth, the flowers on the trees. However, although the season is fabulous for your mood, it can pose challenges for the skin especially at the beginning of the season, since your body can take some time to adjust.
In this article we decided to teach you how to take care of your skin during spring, which, to my taste, is the best season of the year. We will start by understanding the effects that these weather changes have on your skin, and so we can give you all the tools you need to look radiant on these hot days.
How does spring's warm weather affect my skin?
In reality, there is no scientific evidence to show that hot and humid climates can themselves affect skin health. In fact, skin conditions have not been shown to be more recurrent in one or the other. However, since the external conditions we face change, we must also adjust our care.
Among the aspects of our skin that can be affected should be considered when taking care of your skin during the spring are:
- Microbial imbalance
- Increased exposure to the sun’s rays
- Increase in sweating
- Increase in natural sebum production
- Seasonal atopic dermatitis
In this article, I’ll tell you about each of them.
Microbial imbalance
As I told you in my article on acne, the immune system of the skin is supported by the existence of microorganisms and bacteria that, when in balance, are responsible of protecting us, however when unbalanced they can cause skin conditions. There are several external causes
microbial imbalance, as they are, alkalinization of the skin, excess sebum and excess water. The latter is exactly what happens during the spring. As the humidity in the environment increases, our skin increases the water level, which could create an environment conducive to the inappropriate reproduction of microorganisms and cause some outbreaks.
Is this something to worry about? Not really. The skin is such an intelligent organ that it will regulate its hydration by itself, as well as the immune system will also seek its microbiological balance. All you can do in case you experience some breakouts and want to take care of your skin during the spring of unwanted reproduction of microorganisms, is to maintain a healthy care routine that includes washing your face a maximum of twice a day.
Increased Exposure to the Sun's Rays
It is normal that, when warm days come, we are more energetic and love to go out to sunbathe or go to the beach even maybe play outdoor sports. In fact, it is very important that we do so, as the sun plays a fundamental role in the synthesis of vitamin D, whose deficiency could inhibit insulin secretion, creating
inflammation in the body that can detonate in arterial problems. Sounds complex, doesn’t it? (you can read more about it in this article) but let’s focus on what’s important.
We need this sun exposure, every day, but how much is enough? also, if your objective is to take care of your skin during spring, what should we avoid?
Sun Exposure: How much is needed and how much is too much?
Our skin is responsible for synthesizing Vitamin D, and this occurs every time it is exposed to the UVB rays of the sun. In fact, our skin has the ability to synthesize virtually all the vitamin D our body needs, and in theory we wouldn’t need a supplement to complete it.
However, due to the seasons and the slightly sedentary life that has been accentuated during the pandemic, it is a bit difficult for sun exposure to be adequate. For this reason, many people are deficient in this vitamin and must be supplemented. But if you want to avoid doing so, just take a short walk in the sun for a few minutes a day, always taking into account that once the body has synthesized what it needs, it will not synthesize anymore, and from then on, sun exposure begins to be harmful to you.
You may wonder how many minutes? Well, according to this research, the average daily exposure that will allow you to take care of the skin during the spring or in general during hot and sunny climates, is 2.54 minutes if you do not use protection or 127 minutes if you use a sunscreen of SPF (protection factor) 50.
How is my skin affected by sun exposure during spring?
When we are children, the appearance of our skin is healthy and soft. This changes as we grow, and transforms into photo-aged skin, with pigmentation, some wrinkles, dryness, among others. This is due to repeated and chronic exposure to solar radiation.
The first signs of photo-aging appear around the age of 20, and around 30, the first wrinkles begin to appear.
How to protect yourself from the sun if you want to take care of your skin during the spring?
Sunscreen, Essential
Well, we’ve already seen that the amount of time you can expose yourself to the sun healthily changes dramatically depending on the sunscreen you use, which should be a broad-spectrum with the right SPF.
A broad spectrum blocker is one that protects you from both UVB and UVA lights, since both cause photo-aging and induce imunomodulating effects which are involved in skin cancer. Because of this, sunscreens that only protect you from UVB rays can expose you and not protect you properly.
Always check the SPF
It comes from its acronym in English «Sun Protection Factor», which is the measure used to quantify the level of protection against UVB rays (there is no measure for UVA rays). The SPF is set based on the time it takes for the skin to suffer burns using a blocker versus a skin without a blocker.
Whether you want to do outdoor sports or just enjoy the weather, but at the same time expect to take care of your skin during the spring, be sure to use a sunscreen of a minimum SPF of 30, ideally 50, and not exceed the exposure time of an hour, or even less. Remember that when the manufacturers of a sunscreen set the level of protection, the tests are performed using a specific thickness of the blocking film. Under controlled conditions, therefore, the protection factor can be reduced depending on your application or the environmental conditions to which you are exposed.
If you also want to go to the beach or the pool, make sure that your sunscreen is waterproof. That is, your sunscreen will last at least 40 minutes. Once this time has passed, you must reapply the protector.
Include antioxidants in your cleansing routine
As we saw in the previous point, if you want to take care of your skin during the spring, and avoid the harmful effects caused by increased sun exposure, you should choose a wide spectrum sunscreen with the right protection factor, which will give you external protection. What if I told you you can also give your skin internal protection?
What is the oxidation process?
The effect of the sun on your skin is called “Oxidation”. Let’s first look at the definition of this term according to Google:
A chemical phenomenon by which a body or compound is transformed by the action of an oxidizer, which causes the amount of oxygen in that body or compound to increase thus decreasing the number of electrons in one of the atoms.
If we divide this into parts, we can understand the effect of the sun on our skin as follows:
- “A body or compound is transformed by the action of an oxidizer.” In this case, that body or compound is our skin, the oxidizer are the sun’s rays (or other atmospheric factors) and the transformation refers to the chemical reaction that occurs from the sun’s contact with the skin.
- “causes that body to increase the amount of oxygen and decrease the number of electrons in some atoms.” Electrons and atoms are part of the cells of any living organism. Likewise, our skin is made up of cells, which degrade in the presence of oxygen, creating “free radicals” that are only cells that lack an electron, and are characterized by reacting with other cells
What is the effect of oxidation on the skin?
What sunlight does on our skin is to create an oxidative effect at the cellular level, which reproduces free radicals that, when reacting with skin cells, decreases their functions and their level of proteins. This phenomenon, which is known as skin oxidation, leads to photo-aging and probable tissue damage. If you want to take care of your skin during the spring, you must combat this effect by increasing the intake of antioxidants, either through your skin or through your diet.
Our skin is equipped with antioxidants and enzyme systems that protect us from those free radicals. However, age and constant sun exposure, as well as other factors, cause these antioxidants to be depleted, making the skin more vulnerable to the effects of the environment.
How to add antioxidants to your beauty routine?
The main antioxidants that help our skin are: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and carotenoids. With this in mind, you can:
- Use a “Vitamin C Serum” in the mornings. You apply it after washing your skin (or if you use a tonic in your routine after the tonic). Don’t forget to protect with sunscreen after applying
- Use a “Retinol treatment” for the evenings. Retinol (Vitamin A) is an ingredient that causes a little controversy. This is because its prolonged use, either at very young age or at high concentrations, can cause skin irritation, especially to sensitive skin. Furthermore, it also reacts with light, so if you decide to apply it you should do it at night, 2 to 3 times a week and always apply sunscreen in the day.
- Taking Vitamin E supplements
- Eating foods rich in Vitamin A such as papaya, orange or yellow fruits as well as green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli
- Eating carotenoid-rich foods such as carrot, citrus, mango or tomato
Increased Ozone Exposure
In addition to UVA and UVB rays, ozone (O3) is considered one of the most toxic environmental aggravators to which humans are exposed. In fact the skin, is perhaps the most suceptible tissue to the oxidative damage of this pollutant.
Under normal conditions, the average amount of ozone in the environment is usually less than 0.08ppm, much lower than that in the stratosphere (10ppm). However, if you are like me, and live in a metropolis like Mexico City, O3 concentrations can reach very toxic levels that increase in warm climates reaching up to 0.8 ppm. This is practically 10 times the usual concentration. Furthermore, although O3 cannot damage skin by itself, it induces oxidative stress that reduces its natural antioxidant action.
So if you want to take care of your skin during the spring, and defend it from the oxidative action of Ozone, which increases in warm climates, you should be very careful in the use of antioxidants as mentioned in the previous point.
More Sweating
Since during the spring we have higher temperatures, we sweat more. This can make our body demand for a higher amount of liquids, especially during the winter-spring transition. As we saw at the beginning of this article, your body is very good at maintaining its water balance, so all you have to do is listen to your signs
of thirst, and drink enough water and eat enough food to keep hydration in balance.
Now, there is a myth that increased sweating could cause sporadic breakouts or acne. In fact, perspiration not only it helps eliminate dead cells, but sweat contains a chemical called “dermcidin” that controls acne bacteria. So, if you’re looking to take care of your skin during the spring, and you’re worried that increased sweating will affect your skin health, all you need to keep in mind is:
- Gently remove sweat from your face with a towel, so that the dead cells removed do not stay there and cause a possible pore plugging.
- Make sure that the number of times you wash your skin doesn’t exceed twice a day. This is why you should wash yourself after exercise and not before.
- Increase the number of times you exfoliate your skin twice a week instead of once, as suggested during the winter.
The impact of increased sweating on the scalp
When we refer to skin care, we often forget a very important part of it, and that is the scalp. This, like the skin of the face, secretes sebum and can become clogged or susceptible to the action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The action of these leads to topical diseases such as dermatitis.
By increasing sweating, it increases sebum production. That’s why you may need to increase the regularity with which you wash your hair regularly, in order to prevent dead cells from causing undesirable conditions on your scalp.
Increased Sebum Production
Ambient temperature has an impact on the production of head sebum or at least on the feeling of fat on the face. While studies like this suggested that the 1-degree increase in ambient temperature could increase sebum production by 10%, it was subsequently shown that this was more due to a fat sensation than to higher fat production, and that this sensation would be the result of a higher amount of sweat that is emulsified with sebum. Therefore, during warm seasons you may need some adjustments to your cleansing routine to avoid feeling oily skin, so if you want to take care of your skin during the spring we recommend:
Mornings
- Wash your face with a gel or light cream cleanser
- Use a vitamin C serum
- Wash your face with a gel or light cream cleanser
- Apply sunscreen
Nights
- The “Oil Cleansing” method is my favorite for any skin type as it removes makeup and excess sebum in a gentle and non-abrasive way
- If you have oily complexion, or wear a lot of makeup, add a second cleaning step, with the same morning cleanser. If your skin tends to dry out, don’t
- Use a vitamin A serum or a nourishing cream for the night
- When we are in cold climates and the skin tends to dry out, an oil-based serum is often used to block moisture inside the face. In warm seasons, as the skin is wetter it may not be necessary. Nevertheless, it’s always good to listen to your skin and watch how it reacts every time you incorporate or remove a step from your routine
Seasonal atopic dermatitis
Despite not knowing why, high temperatures, flowers or spring green appear to be aggravating factors for various topical problems. The truth is that it has been seen as atopic dermatitis or eczema are more common in the spring. That’s why if you already live with a skin condition and want to take care of your skin during the spring, it’s important to go to the dermatologist for the best treatment.
And we’ve reached the end of this article, don’t forget to share if you found something interesting. Thank you for reading me!!
Subscribe to Our Blog!
About Me
Beatriz Morales
Spring has arrived! Little by little you do not enjoy the sunny days, the warmth, the flowers on the trees. However, although the season is fabulous for your mood, it can pose challenges for the skin especially at the beginning of the season, since your body can take some time to adjust.
In this article we decided to teach you how to take care of your skin during spring, which, to my taste, is the best season of the year. We will start by understanding the effects that these weather changes have on your skin, and so we can give you all the tools you need to look radiant on these hot days.
How does spring's warm weather affect my skin?
In reality, there is no scientific evidence to show that hot and humid climates can themselves affect skin health. In fact, skin conditions have not been shown to be more recurrent in one or the other. However, since the external conditions we face change, we must also adjust our care.
Among the aspects of our skin that can be affected should be considered when taking care of your skin during the spring are:
- Microbial imbalance
- Increased exposure to the sun’s rays
- Increase in sweating
- Increase in natural sebum production
- Seasonal atopic dermatitis
In this article, I’ll tell you about each of them.
Microbial imbalance
As I told you in my article on acne, the immune system of the skin is supported by the existence of microorganisms and bacteria that, when in balance, are responsible of protecting us, however when unbalanced they can cause skin conditions. There are several external causes
microbial imbalance, as they are, alkalinization of the skin, excess sebum and excess water. The latter is exactly what happens during the spring. As the humidity in the environment increases, our skin increases the water level, which could create an environment conducive to the inappropriate reproduction of microorganisms and cause some outbreaks.
Is this something to worry about? Not really. The skin is such an intelligent organ that it will regulate its hydration by itself, as well as the immune system will also seek its microbiological balance. All you can do in case you experience some breakouts and want to take care of your skin during the spring of unwanted reproduction of microorganisms, is to maintain a healthy care routine that includes washing your face a maximum of twice a day.
Increased Exposure to the Sun's Rays
It is normal that, when warm days come, we are more energetic and love to go out to sunbathe or go to the beach even maybe play outdoor sports. In fact, it is very important that we do so, as the sun plays a fundamental role in the synthesis of vitamin D, whose deficiency could inhibit insulin secretion, creating
inflammation in the body that can detonate in arterial problems. Sounds complex, doesn’t it? (you can read more about it in this article) but let’s focus on what’s important.
We need this sun exposure, every day, but how much is enough? also, if your objective is to take care of your skin during spring, what should we avoid?
Sun Exposure: How much is needed and how much is too much?
Our skin is responsible for synthesizing Vitamin D, and this occurs every time it is exposed to the UVB rays of the sun. In fact, our skin has the ability to synthesize virtually all the vitamin D our body needs, and in theory we wouldn’t need a supplement to complete it.
However, due to the seasons and the slightly sedentary life that has been accentuated during the pandemic, it is a bit difficult for sun exposure to be adequate. For this reason, many people are deficient in this vitamin and must be supplemented. But if you want to avoid doing so, just take a short walk in the sun for a few minutes a day, always taking into account that once the body has synthesized what it needs, it will not synthesize anymore, and from then on, sun exposure begins to be harmful to you.
You may wonder how many minutes? Well, according to this research, the average daily exposure that will allow you to take care of the skin during the spring or in general during hot and sunny climates, is 2.54 minutes if you do not use protection or 127 minutes if you use a sunscreen of SPF (protection factor) 50.
How is my skin affected by sun exposure during spring?
When we are children, the appearance of our skin is healthy and soft. This changes as we grow, and transforms into photo-aged skin, with pigmentation, some wrinkles, dryness, among others. This is due to repeated and chronic exposure to solar radiation.
The first signs of photo-aging appear around the age of 20, and around 30, the first wrinkles begin to appear.
How to protect yourself from the sun if you want to take care of your skin during the spring?
Sunscreen, Essential
Well, we’ve already seen that the amount of time you can expose yourself to the sun healthily changes dramatically depending on the sunscreen you use, which should be a broad-spectrum with the right SPF.
A broad spectrum blocker is one that protects you from both UVB and UVA lights, since both cause photo-aging and induce imunomodulating effects which are involved in skin cancer. Because of this, sunscreens that only protect you from UVB rays can expose you and not protect you properly.
Always check the SPF
It comes from its acronym in English «Sun Protection Factor», which is the measure used to quantify the level of protection against UVB rays (there is no measure for UVA rays). The SPF is set based on the time it takes for the skin to suffer burns using a blocker versus a skin without a blocker.
Whether you want to do outdoor sports or just enjoy the weather, but at the same time expect to take care of your skin during the spring, be sure to use a sunscreen of a minimum SPF of 30, ideally 50, and not exceed the exposure time of an hour, or even less. Remember that when the manufacturers of a sunscreen set the level of protection, the tests are performed using a specific thickness of the blocking film. Under controlled conditions, therefore, the protection factor can be reduced depending on your application or the environmental conditions to which you are exposed.
If you also want to go to the beach or the pool, make sure that your sunscreen is waterproof. That is, your sunscreen will last at least 40 minutes. Once this time has passed, you must reapply the protector.
Include antioxidants in your cleansing routine
As we saw in the previous point, if you want to take care of your skin during the spring, and avoid the harmful effects caused by increased sun exposure, you should choose a wide spectrum sunscreen with the right protection factor, which will give you external protection. What if I told you you can also give your skin internal protection?
What is the oxidation process?
The effect of the sun on your skin is called “Oxidation”. Let’s first look at the definition of this term according to Google:
A chemical phenomenon by which a body or compound is transformed by the action of an oxidizer, which causes the amount of oxygen in that body or compound to increase thus decreasing the number of electrons in one of the atoms.
If we divide this into parts, we can understand the effect of the sun on our skin as follows:
- “A body or compound is transformed by the action of an oxidizer.” In this case, that body or compound is our skin, the oxidizer are the sun’s rays (or other atmospheric factors) and the transformation refers to the chemical reaction that occurs from the sun’s contact with the skin.
- “causes that body to increase the amount of oxygen and decrease the number of electrons in some atoms.” Electrons and atoms are part of the cells of any living organism. Likewise, our skin is made up of cells, which degrade in the presence of oxygen, creating “free radicals” that are only cells that lack an electron, and are characterized by reacting with other cells
What is the effect of oxidation on the skin?
What sunlight does on our skin is to create an oxidative effect at the cellular level, which reproduces free radicals that, when reacting with skin cells, decreases their functions and their level of proteins. This phenomenon, which is known as skin oxidation, leads to photo-aging and probable tissue damage. If you want to take care of your skin during the spring, you must combat this effect by increasing the intake of antioxidants, either through your skin or through your diet.
Our skin is equipped with antioxidants and enzyme systems that protect us from those free radicals. However, age and constant sun exposure, as well as other factors, cause these antioxidants to be depleted, making the skin more vulnerable to the effects of the environment.
How to add antioxidants to your beauty routine?
The main antioxidants that help our skin are: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and carotenoids. With this in mind, you can:
- Use a “Vitamin C Serum” in the mornings. You apply it after washing your skin (or if you use a tonic in your routine after the tonic). Don’t forget to protect with sunscreen after applying
- Use a “Retinol treatment” for the evenings. Retinol (Vitamin A) is an ingredient that causes a little controversy. This is because its prolonged use, either at very young age or at high concentrations, can cause skin irritation, especially to sensitive skin. Furthermore, it also reacts with light, so if you decide to apply it you should do it at night, 2 to 3 times a week and always apply sunscreen in the day.
- Taking Vitamin E supplements
- Eating foods rich in Vitamin A such as papaya, orange or yellow fruits as well as green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli
- Eating carotenoid-rich foods such as carrot, citrus, mango or tomato
Increased Ozone Exposure
In addition to UVA and UVB rays, ozone (O3) is considered one of the most toxic environmental aggravators to which humans are exposed. In fact the skin, is perhaps the most suceptible tissue to the oxidative damage of this pollutant.
Under normal conditions, the average amount of ozone in the environment is usually less than 0.08ppm, much lower than that in the stratosphere (10ppm). However, if you are like me, and live in a metropolis like Mexico City, O3 concentrations can reach very toxic levels that increase in warm climates reaching up to 0.8 ppm. This is practically 10 times the usual concentration. Furthermore, although O3 cannot damage skin by itself, it induces oxidative stress that reduces its natural antioxidant action.
So if you want to take care of your skin during the spring, and defend it from the oxidative action of Ozone, which increases in warm climates, you should be very careful in the use of antioxidants as mentioned in the previous point.
More Sweating
Since during the spring we have higher temperatures, we sweat more. This can make our body demand for a higher amount of liquids, especially during the winter-spring transition. As we saw at the beginning of this article, your body is very good at maintaining its water balance, so all you have to do is listen to your signs
of thirst, and drink enough water and eat enough food to keep hydration in balance.
Now, there is a myth that increased sweating could cause sporadic breakouts or acne. In fact, perspiration not only it helps eliminate dead cells, but sweat contains a chemical called “dermcidin” that controls acne bacteria. So, if you’re looking to take care of your skin during the spring, and you’re worried that increased sweating will affect your skin health, all you need to keep in mind is:
- Gently remove sweat from your face with a towel, so that the dead cells removed do not stay there and cause a possible pore plugging.
- Make sure that the number of times you wash your skin doesn’t exceed twice a day. This is why you should wash yourself after exercise and not before.
- Increase the number of times you exfoliate your skin twice a week instead of once, as suggested during the winter.
The impact of increased sweating on the scalp
When we refer to skin care, we often forget a very important part of it, and that is the scalp. This, like the skin of the face, secretes sebum and can become clogged or susceptible to the action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The action of these leads to topical diseases such as dermatitis.
By increasing sweating, it increases sebum production. That’s why you may need to increase the regularity with which you wash your hair regularly, in order to prevent dead cells from causing undesirable conditions on your scalp.
Increased Sebum Production
Ambient temperature has an impact on the production of head sebum or at least on the feeling of fat on the face. While studies like this suggested that the 1-degree increase in ambient temperature could increase sebum production by 10%, it was subsequently shown that this was more due to a fat sensation than to higher fat production, and that this sensation would be the result of a higher amount of sweat that is emulsified with sebum. Therefore, during warm seasons you may need some adjustments to your cleansing routine to avoid feeling oily skin, so if you want to take care of your skin during the spring we recommend:
Mornings
- Wash your face with a gel or light cream cleanser
- Use a vitamin C serum
- Wash your face with a gel or light cream cleanser
- Apply sunscreen
Nights
- The “Oil Cleansing” method is my favorite for any skin type as it removes makeup and excess sebum in a gentle and non-abrasive way
- If you have oily complexion, or wear a lot of makeup, add a second cleaning step, with the same morning cleanser. If your skin tends to dry out, don’t
- Use a vitamin A serum or a nourishing cream for the night
- When we are in cold climates and the skin tends to dry out, an oil-based serum is often used to block moisture inside the face. In warm seasons, as the skin is wetter it may not be necessary. Nevertheless, it’s always good to listen to your skin and watch how it reacts every time you incorporate or remove a step from your routine
Seasonal atopic dermatitis
Despite not knowing why, high temperatures, flowers or spring green appear to be aggravating factors for various topical problems. The truth is that it has been seen as atopic dermatitis or eczema are more common in the spring. That’s why if you already live with a skin condition and want to take care of your skin during the spring, it’s important to go to the dermatologist for the best treatment.
And we’ve reached the end of this article, don’t forget to share if you found something interesting. Thank you for reading me!!
Subscribe to Our Blog!
About Me
