How to Protect Your Skin from Delhi’s Harsh Sun and Heatwaves

The Impact Of Sun And Heat On Skin

Let us understand how the sun and heat arm up against your skin

Dehydration And Dryness

• Cause: Excessive sweating during summer leads to significant fluid loss, causing dehydration and dryness.
• Effect: Excessive dryness can lead to cracking, itchiness, flaking and bleeding.
• Solution: Take hydrating drinks like water, coconut water, cucumber water, fresh juices, etc., and shield your skin with a hydrating moisturiser.

Increased Oil Production

• Cause: Excessive heat and dryness during summers stimulate the oil-producing sebaceous glands to produce more sebum on the skin’s surface.
• Effect: It can lead to oily skin, which attracts pollution, dirt and dust, causing breakouts.
• Solution: Use oil-free cleanser, toner, moisturiser and sunscreen.

Sunburn And UV Damage

• Cause: The sun’s UVB rays affect the outer layer of the skin, causing sunburn. The UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, causing damage and premature ageing.
• Effect: UV rays break down collagen and elastin, causing sagging and wrinkling of the skin. UV rays weaken the skin’s immune system and can even cause skin cancer.
• Solution: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen ranging from 30-50 SPF and shield your face with a mask or scarf while sun-exposed.

Heat Rash

• Cause: In hot and humid weather, sweat ducts get blocked, which leads to heat rashes.
• Effect: It causes small blisters, red spots and tiny bumps, which cause a prickling sensation.
• Solution: Keep yourself hydrated, wear comfortable clothes to sweat less and use a mild soothing lotion on your skin.

Essential Skincare Routine For Delhi Summers

Follow a dedicated skincare routine during Delhi summers so that your skin can retain its suppleness and glow.

• Cleansing:

Dust, dirt, grime, and pollutants tend to settle on your face during summer, so washing them off with a gentle cleanser is critical. Use an exfoliating cleanser enriched with retinol or salicylic acid for acne-prone or oily skin. Choose a cleanser rich in emollients if you have dry or sensitive skin. These compounds help retain moisture.

• Moisturising:

Moisturising provides nourishment to the skin and the not-to-skip step of the skincare routine. For normal to dry skin, you can use a cream moisturiser. In case of normal to oily skin, use a lightweight, non-greasy gel moisturiser.

• Sunscreen:

Don’t forget to shield your skin with broad-spectrum sunscreen before stepping out during harsh summers. Broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Look for zinc oxide, octinoxate, octisalate and titanium dioxide ingredients in your sunscreen. Choose a sunscreen with an SPF 50+, PA+++ rating that indicates high protection from UV rays.

Lifestyle Changes To Protect Your Skin From Delhi Heatwaves

Here are some lifestyle changes that might go a long way in making summer bearable for you and your skin.

• Maintaining A Balanced Diet: Including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet will help keep your skin supple and nourished.
• Regular Hydration: Ensure you drink at least 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day. Also, include hydrating drinks such as coconut water and fresh fruit juices.
• Protective Clothing And Accessories: Wear breathable fabrics such as pure cotton and linen and avoid extremely tight-fitted clothes. When stepping out, wear your sunglasses and wear a scarf to shield your face from the heat.
• Use Cooling Skincare Products: Pick skincare products that are enriched with cooling ingredients such as aloe vera, green tea, peppermint, calendula, hyaluronic acid, retinol, cucumber, Vitamin C, Salicylic acid, etc.
• Avoid Excessive Exfoliation: Excessive heat and sweat can already strip your skin of essential moisture, so over-exfoliation of the skin can be damaging. Use a mild exfoliant once or twice a week.
• Limiting Sun Exposure: It is best to avoid stepping out during the peak hours when the sun’s rays are the harshest. Try to stay indoors as much as possible.

Dermatologist-recommended Treatments For Sun Damage

No matter how many precautions you take, sun exposure might still damage your skin. It’s best to opt for dermatologist-recommended skin treatments to reverse the damage.

• Laser Toning Treatment: The dermatologist uses a laser device to heat the skin’s layers, vaporising the damaged skin. This treatment inhibits melanin production and stimulates collagen production to improve skin tone and texture while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It is a minimally invasive procedure with zero downtime.
• Chemical Peel Treatment: In this treatment, the doctors use peels of different concentrations to remove the damaged layers of the skin. The concentrations of these chemicals vary according to the severity of your concern and your skin’s requirements. Based on the sun, the dermatologist may recommend salicylic acid peel, glycolic acid peel, and lactic acid peel. It is one of the safest procedures to attain younger-looking, wrinkle-free, flawless skin.

Takeaway

Summers can be challenging for your skin, but you can sail through if you take all the precautions and use a dedicated skincare routine. If you experience skin issues, consult a dermatologist who will recommend corrective skin treatments.