Summer is awesome for the most part but if you have sensitive skin, soaring temperatures can reap all manner of problems. Here, we run through five of the most common issues sensitive skin faces during the summer months. And, more importantly, how NOT to let the heat beat you.
Sensitive skin doesn’t have it easy. For starters, you have to think about the type of products you put on your skin on a daily basis. Fragrance is often a no-go area, and then there are other ingredients like retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids which can make sensitive skin flare up at their mere mention.
One further thing that inevitably hits sensitive skin where it hurts, year after year, is the onslaught of seasonal irritations. The winter months, for example, frequently bring heightened sensitivities to the party thanks to a lack of humidity in the air that causes dry skin to become extremely parched, red, itchy, and cracked. But, as we write this, winter is a long way away. Instead, it’s summertime we’re concerned with. And with the summers getting increasingly hotter – summer 2023 was the hottest on record (1) – it’s glaringly obvious that if you suffer from skin issues when the mercury rises, they are not going to go away on their own.
We love the summer. Music festivals, days at the beach, hikes, camping, barbecues, you name it, we’re there. But when it comes to dealing with sensitive skin as the sun powers up? That can be a real struggle because the combination of increased exposure to sunlight, heat, humidity, and air conditioning makes your skin feel extra sensitive.
If you have sensitive skin – highly likely if you’re here and reading this! – and feel like you need to get ahead of the summer skin game, here’s what we know about five of the most common issues that sensitive skin has to deal with in during summer.
1. Prickly Heat
What It Is: Also known as heat rash or miliaria, prickly heat is caused by an unusual overheating of the skin. It’s not dangerous to your health and is more commonly found in babies and young children… but don’t let that fool you because anyone can get it, at any age.
“Prickly heat occurs when sweat becomes trapped under the skin’s surface, causing a range of symptoms from small blisters to deep, inflamed lumps,” explain experts at the Mayo Clinic.
It’s a very uncomfortable condition because it makes the skin feel prickly, can sting, and is usually super itchy. You’ll most often find it on your neck, scalp, chest, groin, under the breasts, or in the creases of your elbows.
Action Points: To avoid prickly heat in the first place, keep yourself cool by staying hydrated. Wear loose-fitting, cotton clothes that don’t cause friction against your skin, and ensure you gently exfoliate your skin (twice a week is plenty) to improve cell turnover and help keep your pores clean and clear. We love Tatcha The Rice Gentle Polish and Murad AHA/ BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.
Heat rashes tend to clear up without treatment in around two or three days, but cool showers will help. Just make sure you dry your skin thoroughly after getting your skin wet and continue to wear loose clothing to help keep your skin from overheating.
2. Sun Allergy (Polymorphous Light Eruption or PMLE)
What It Is: A sun allergy occurs when your immune system reacts to unusual changes that occur in your skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. It usually manifests itself in a burning, itchy rash that can look similar to prickly heat, although it’s more likely to blister, be found on the back of the hands or on your arms and lower legs, and last longer.
Action Points: The best way to safeguard your skin from the symptoms of a sun allergy is to protect, protect and then protect your skin more by avoiding the peak hours of the sun, wearing sun protective clothing and using sunscreens that contain gentle but effective ingredients like zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
“Before you go outdoors, apply a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor of at least 30, with a broad spectrum of protection against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays,” advise experts at the Harvard Medical School.
To relieve mild symptoms, cooling sprays are also very handy – try Day + West Strong Whisper Face Mist which has been awarded SkinSAFE’s Trusted Choice Good for Sensitive Skin Seal – alongside oral antihistamines to calm and relieve itchy skin. If your symptoms are severe, however, don’t hesitate to see your doctor who may recommend phototherapy or prescription medication.
3. Sunburn
What It Is: As we age, most of us smart, skin-savvy folk become way more vigilant about looking after our skin in the sun. Phew. But still, it’s not unheard of to get caught short on the odd (hopefully odd?) occasion.
Sunburn damages the outermost layer of your skin and makes it red, inflamed, sore, and hot to the touch. Of course, your skin produces its own protective pigment called melanin, and production of this really amps up when sunlight hits your skin. However, your poor old melanin can only do so much. It really needs help and if you wait until your skin is already burnt? Too late.
Sensitive skin is more likely to experience sunburn than that elusive ‘normal skin’ thanks to a weaker barrier function which makes it less resilient to environmental aggressors like UV radiation. And it can be very serious.
“Sunburn hurts you in more ways than one. It accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of skin cancer,” warn experts at The Skin Cancer Foundation.
“In fact, your risk of developing potentially deadly melanoma doubles with a history of five or more sunburns.”
And yes, tanning beds can also burn your skin. Take note.
Action Points: The most important thing to do is to not get burned in the first place. The fairer and more sensitive your skin, the less time you can safely be outside. In very fair-skinned people, for example, UV radiation can become harmful after just five minutes (2). So, for starters, try to stay out of the midday sun when the sun is at its highest point – this is when UVB radiation is at its strongest.
Wear protective long-sleeved clothing when you’re outside, as well as sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. Always sit in the shade and, it goes without saying that broad-spectrum sunscreen is crucial. We rarely leave the house without slathering OneSkin OS-01 Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30+ (also a SkinSAFE Trusted Choice Good for Sensitive Skin product) onto our faces and CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Body Lotion SPF 30 to any other parts of our bodies we know are going to be exposed. We suggest you do the same.
4. Dry, Itchy Skin
What It Is: Depending on where you live, increased humidity in the summer can help to keep your skin hydrated. However, the combination of sun exposure and air conditioning has the reverse effect, counteracting all that extra free moisture in the air by drying out your skin and causing dehydration and irritated, flaky skin.
Action Points: If you’re used to having dry skin, you’ll probably have an effective, gentle and moisturizing skincare routine down. But there are still a few extra measures you can take to beat the heat. Sunscreen for one thing (yes, that again) is always non-negotiable, as is a fragrance-free moisturizer that helps to lock in moisture. We love Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion and AmLactin Ultra Smoothing Intensely Hydrating Cream.
Use extremely mild formulations across your entire skin and personal care products and remember to take lukewarm, rather than scorching hot baths and showers as hot water strips moisture from your skin.
Finally, turn that thermostat up. Air conditioning is awesome, but it reduces the humidity in your home as well as the heat, thus depleting your skin of moisture. Not to mention the amount of energy it burns in the process.
5. Folliculitis
What It Is: Folliculitis is when your follicles (the tiny pores on your skin from which hairs grow) become blocked and infected. These infected follicles look a bit like pimples and they can come with extra helpings of itchiness and tenderness which is about as fun as all the other previous skin woes we’ve talked about.
Although folliculitis can strike at any time, it’s far more prevalent in the summer. How so? Well, heat, humidity, and sweat provide the perfect environment for bacteria to go wild.
Action Points: According to the American Academy of Dermatology (3), hot tubs are devils for contributing to folliculitis, so stay away unless you know that the chemicals are properly in check. ‘Hot tub folliculitis’ is a real thing. You have been warned.
Tight clothing is another enemy here, so if you like to work out in Lycra, make sure you shower and change as soon as you’re done.
Treatments depend on the severity of your folliculitis so it’s always a wise move to ask your health care provider to help diagnose and control yours. And in the meantime, invest in some aloe vera which is incredible for cooling, soothing, and encouraging healing. Try Cetaphil Soothing Gel Cream with Aloe.
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