Summer is over , and it's time to make some adjustments to your cosmetics to address the issues the elements left on your body during that season, such as the feeling of drier, rougher skin lacking radiance due to the sun, pool chlorine, and sea salt, which damage the skin barrier, promoting water loss and causing tightness, irritation, and peeling.
That is why MarÃa Agustina Segundo, a specialist dermatologist at the University Hospital of Southeast Madrid and the Sclinic , explained in an interview with Europa Press that, with the solar flare, the wind, the salt and the chlorine in swimming pools, the skin loses water considerably, in addition to that which originates from sweat with the high temperatures.
he skin becomes drier , with a greater tendency to peel, so that it feels rough and tight, and while it is known that one way the skin defends itself against the sun is through tanning (produced by the synthesis of melanin), another mechanism against prolonged exposure to the sun's radiation is the increase in the thickness of the epidermis, as if the skin wanted to create a physical barrier, says the specialist.
She also maintains that the chlorine in swimming pools or the salt in the sea can sensitize her and it is common, especially in the first few days, to feel a sensation of itching, burning or even skin irritation .
Both chlorine and salt are deposited on the skin, says Agustina Segundo, and increase transepidermal water loss, acting like sponges. The components of sea salt and chlorine can act as irritants, especially on more sensitive skin, and cause dermatitis.
That's why it's recommended to rinse off with shower water and apply an "after-sun" product or a soothing cream after sun exposure.
The doctor points out that after summer, people return to their homes where pollution is a major factor damaging skin health; in addition to dry air, the cold and even temperature changes from cold to hot with heating systems, all of this will make the skin drier and flakier and more sensitive with a tendency towards redness and dermatitis.
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Therefore, she believes that body hydration should be increased by using moisturizing lotions or creams that contain urea, glycerin, or panthenol, which help retain water in the skin.
Regarding skin care , antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, and fructolic acid will help mitigate the damage caused by pollution, and soothing and anti-inflammatory agents such as niacinamide, bisabolol, or calendula help prevent the skin from becoming sensitive.
The dermatologist explains that, depending on your routine, you need to consider what you need.
- Combat dehydrated skin with creamy cleansing gels or bath oils, super-hydrating lotions or creams, for example those with urea, which also help to eliminate dead cells; along with this, it is recommended to perform periodic exfoliation to soften and even out the skin.
- Combat lack of luminosity with antioxidants such as vitamin C, ferulic acid or coenzyme Q10, alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, alternating with retinol and the concentration that is tolerated.
- To combat dark spots, if they have appeared, combine antioxidants, such as vitamin C, with depigmenting agents like hydroquinone, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, or retinol. It's not necessary to change everything, but you should adapt your skincare routine to the new conditions to help your skin recover.
In addition, the specialist recommends protecting your skin from the sun all year round, since, even if you don't feel the heat, UVB and UVA radiations continue to reach the skin and accumulate their effect.