Essential Summer Skin Tips from a Board-Certified Dermatologist

For many, there’s nothing better than the warm summer season. Filled with endless sun, days spent outdoors in the gorgeous weather, and lots of time with friends and family, summer is the best time of the year. 

However, while the summer season is great for getting outdoors and making memories, it can also wreak havoc on your skin with the blazing temperatures, excessive sun exposure, and low moisture levels. 

To help you better take care of your skin this sunny season, we recommend following our board-certified dermatologists’ summer skin tips for a healthy, happy complexion. Not only will this help you prevent breakouts and pimples, but also wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots! Check out the essential tips below. 

 

5 Essential Summer Skin Tips from a Board-Certified Dermatologist 

1. Lather on the Sunscreen 

As mentioned in our blog on the three essentials in a basic skincare routine, applying sunscreen is one of the most critical daily steps you can take to protect your skin. 

Not only does wearing sunscreen regularly prevent skin cancer, it also plays a significant role in preventing or slowing down premature aging. UVA rays from the sun don’t cause sunburns, but they do penetrate deep into the skin layers and cause skin damage, triggering the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. 

If you want to keep your skin smooth and youthful for as long as possible, then a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher may just be the very best anti-aging product you can use.

 

2. Apply Powerful Antioxidants 

Skincare products with powerful antioxidants, such as Vitamins C and Niacinamide, are effective at protecting your skin from free radical damage and other environmental stressors, which are often the main culprits behind premature and accelerated aging. 

Antioxidants are especially important during the summer when many experience excessive exposure to UV rays, as this is a form of free radical damage. We recommend looking for skincare products that feature the following antioxidants: 

• Vitamin C 
• Vitamin E 
• Ferulic Acid 
• Vitamin A 
• Green Tea Extract
• Resveratrol
• Niacinamide

 

3. Lightweight and Gentle Skincare Routine 

Another summer skin tip is to treat your skin gently and use lightweight products during the summertime. While winter requires a more moisturizing and hydrating routine that features thicker creams and heavier lotions, summertime is perfect for those lightweight products that don’t weigh your skin down. 

Think of it this way – in the summertime, your skin naturally produces more sebum and oil. Thus, it’s best to stick to more lightweight formulas that won’t clog pores and trigger breakouts. 

Furthermore, stay away from over-exfoliating the face, as this will cause irritation, disrupt the skin barrier, and make your skin much drier and more sensitive to external stressors such as the sun. 

 

4. Take it Easy with Retinol 

Retinol serums are incredibly beneficial for the skin, as these Vitamin A-derivatives brighten the skin, improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles, helps with hyperpigmentation, and alleviates acne. 

However, it’s essential that you take it easy with retinol in the summertime, as this type of skincare product can make the skin more sensitive and potentially increase risk for burning.

Many strong retinol products make the skin more sensitive, which means if you apply retinol during the daytime, your skin may be more prone to sunburns and sun damage. 

This is why we recommend using retinol products at night, as there’s a better opportunity to improve the skin while keeping it protected from harmful environmental stressors. 

 

5. Moisturize Regularly 

While you may think moisturizing is unnecessary in the summertime, as your skin is naturally more dewy and oily during this time of year, nothing could be further from the truth! 

Moisturizing is a key summer skin tip for keeping your skin healthy and hydrated. In fact, regularly spending time out in the sun severely dries out the skin and negatively impacts the skin barrier (even though it may feel like you are more oily). 

This is why we recommend following up with a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer after using a cleanser to hydrate your skin. 

 

Discover Healthy Skin with Help from the Center for Surgical Dermatology 

Are you ready to discover healthy, happy skin but aren’t sure where to start? No doubt, choosing the right skin care products or uncovering which daily skincare habits are best for your unique skin can be challenging. 

However, it doesn’t have to be! The board-certified dermatologists at the Center for Surgical Dermatology are here to help you find the best daily skincare regimen and products that help you achieve your most beautiful and glowing skin. Schedule a skin care consultation today!

 

Center of Surgical Dermatology is the largest medical and surgical skin treatment and wellness facility in Central Ohio. Since 2007, our board-certified Dermatologists, fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons, and caring professional staff have provided patients with treatment they can trust in an environment second to none. Learn more about our state-of-the-art Dermatology Center before booking your appointment today.