This year the summer has been waiting longer than usual and that is precisely why we should take more careful care of our skin. The days of sun, hot weather and beach are coming and for this season so long awaited by many does not become a nightmare, there are several factors that we must take into account. One of the most important is undoubtedly the care of our skin. For this reason, here we offer some summer skin care tips you need to follow if you want to keep a healthy skin.
The fact that heat dehydrates the epidermis faster and that sweating increases the humidity, makes it more prone to infections, which is why during this season of the year our skin care must be greater. For this reason, in this article we expose some summer tips to take into account to achieve healthy skin, prevent premature aging of skin cells and prevent possible precancerous lesions.
Summer skin care tips you should follow
1. Cleaning the Skin
It is important to maintain a clean skin when exposed to the sun’s rays. In this way, the products that we apply, both protective and creams, will have a greater penetration in the skin and therefore a greater effect.
The daily cleaning should be done with mild products that do not alter the acid mantle of the skin, that do not irritate or are very perfumed, but help to eliminate the accumulated fat and dirt. With clean skin products act more deeply and the skin responds better to the sun and external aggressions.
2. Natural Antioxidants
During the summer months, moderate consumption of meats and the increase of fruits and vegetables are recommended, rich in vitamins such as A, C and E and antioxidants such as astaxanthin, glutathione and lycopene.
Maintaining a good diet is very important for the health of our skin, since thanks to it we fight the aging of skin cells and get them to recover after the sun’s aggression. Likewise, we must take enough good fats, Omega-3, to recover the cutaneous lipid mantle and cell membranes. These are found in walnuts, avocados and blue fish such as sardines, anchovies and salmon.
Vitamin E plays a fundamental role in the care of the skin, since it prevents cell degeneration, helps in the regenerative process in case of scars and acne, at the same time as it contributes to the increase of blood flow of the skin.
3. Hydrate your Skin
Hydration is a very important factor when sunbathing. Drinking water is essential for the health of the skin, since keeping it hydrated will preserve a smooth skin and prevent dehydration, which is very common when we expose ourselves to the sun. The heat makes the body need more liquid than normal, so these summer months are perfect for making water and fruit juices your best friends.
Not only must we hydrate the body through food and drink, but we must also apply moisturizing creams and oils to the skin to help recover lost moisture.
4. Use an adequate sunscreen
To defend our skin from ultraviolet rays, we must use a protection factor appropriate to the type of skin and sun exposure conditions, and apply it correctly, that is, 10 minutes before exposure and repeat the process every 2 or 3 hours, especially after the bath. Dermatologists recommend to use at least one of 15 FPS in winter and 50+ in summer.
5. Perform a Progressive Exposure
Finally, it is important to follow proper guidelines when we take the sun. First, we must expose the skin to the sun progressively, in short sessions during the first days and avoid, as far as possible, exposing the skin when the ultraviolet light is more intense: from 12h to 16h.
We are not saying that you do not go out in the sun, but that you take care of the most dangerous rays and the excesses. The key is to pay attention and carefully protect the neckline, neck and hands, use sunscreen, goggles and hats, when you expose yourself to the sun. It is prudent to use sun protection every day in all the areas that you are going to expose yourself to the sun, especially when you visit beaches, swimming pools, etc. We recommend a higher sun protection factor to defend the skin from ultraviolet rays.
It is advisable to use light and fresh clothes, preferably white and cotton, as well as glasses and hats to protect you from the sun when going out to the street, thus avoiding the direct action of the sun on the skin.