Top tips to combat dry skin and breakouts during seasonal changes

Seasonal shift brings along changes in the skin such as dry skin, dullness, increase in skin sensitivity and unexpected acne. Weather influences the way your skin reacts. Hot and humid weather makes the skin oily and acne prone while cold temperatures makes the skin dry and strips off its natural moisture. Understanding your skin during the weather transition is the key to maintaining a healthy skin throughout the year.

1. Hydration inside and out - When you need to overcome dry skin, the first and foremost priority is to hydrate yourself both inside and out. For this, consume at least 8-10 glasses of water a day and consume hydrating fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, watermelon, orange, green leafy vegetables etc. Besides this, opt for topical hydrating products such as rich moisturizer in cold months and non-comedogenic and lightweight moisturizer in humid conditions. For locking in moisture and avoiding pre clogging, have creams enriched with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin.
2. Gentle face cleansing - Your skin may react differently depending on the season. Harsh face cleansers are not good for the skin as they strip away skin’s natural sebum. Use a pH balanced gentle face cleanser that removes dirt and sweat naturally. Over cleansing the face can worsen dryness in the skin and body’s compensatory mechanism leads to more sebum production. So stick to face cleansing twice a day.
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3. Skin protection from sun’s UV rays - Sunscreen is non-negotiable, no matter what the weather conditions are. Sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate the clouds too and cause skin pigmentation. Hence, it is important to apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 even on cloudy or rainy days.
4. Biweekly skin exfoliation - Skin exfoliation helps to remove the dead skin cells and prevent skin from turning dull with time, but over exfoliating it can also disturb the protective skin barrier. So, opt for gentle skin exfoliation but limit it to once or twice a week. During dry weather conditions, use chemical exfoliants such as lactic or mandelic acid. During humid weather, opt for salicylic acid containing exfoliant to manage skin sebum and prevent acne.
5. Lifestyle modifications are necessary - Lifestyle changes such as adequate sleep, wholesome diet, stress management and avoiding hot showers are necessary for making the skin resilient to all types of weather conditions. Also incorporate antioxidant enriched products such as vitamin C or niacinamide to protect against environmental stressors.
6. Skincare regime adjustments - Your skincare regime needs adjustments with the changing season. If you want to switch to new products, make it slow and watch out for your skin’s reaction. This keeps the skin away from getting irritated and ensures that you find out the best products as per your skin type.

Conclusion

Change your skincare regime with changing weather. Keep yourself hydrated, practice gentle face cleansing, protect your skin from sun and choose your skincare products wisely. Listen to your skin and change your skincare regime accordingly.

Inputs by Dr. Khushboo Jha, MBBS, MD, Chief Dermatologist Consultant Metro hospital and Founder of One Skin Clinic