Acne and Sun - Adverse Effects

In summer, the essential thing that no one can miss: the sun. So yes, the sun is good: synthesis of vitamin D, gives us good morale, allows us to have a nice complexion and tends to reduce the appearance of acne and imperfections; giving the feeling that the sun is THE miracle solution... But there is a but! Beware of the rebound effect!

In this article, zoom on one of the problems of the sun on the face: acne .

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How does the sun affect our skin cells?

Exposure to the sun and particularly to UV radiation will tend to dry out your skin, which will be more sensitive to external aggressions and therefore, here, to radiation.

A phenomenon of thickening of the skin will appear: it is a natural phenomenon of protection in order to fight against UV radiation and prevent it from reaching the cells of the basal layer (deep).

Now, who says thick skin, says less supple skin, which feels tight and dries out. The sebaceous glands, by reflex, will produce more sebum in order to nourish the suffering skin. Pores will begin to clog and sebum will build up.

In addition to this mechanism, high temperatures will accentuate the phenomenon of perspiration in the body but also in the face and will create a climate conducive to the development of bacteria responsible for acne.

However, at the end of the summer, when the skin has regained its initial thickness, pimples and comedones will resurface.

What are the reflexes to adopt to preserve my skin?

  • It will be important to scrub your face once a week ! Be careful, here the goal will not be to attack your skin; a gentle exfoliation should be preferred so as not to over-stimulate it and cause the opposite effect. This scrub will accelerate cell renewal and therefore limit the thickening of your skin and the obstruction of your pores. The exfoliation should not be done just before sun exposure since the skin will need time to regenerate. So prefer a scrub in the evening .

  • Do not hesitate to drink a lot to eliminate toxins and to eat fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants.

  • Moisturize your skin well in the evening with a cream/serum.

  • Sun protection adapted to your skin type will also be essential. Do not be afraid that the products contained in sunscreens will accentuate your acne since sunscreens specially designed for acne-prone skin are available.

  • Finally, remember that any application of sun protection must be renewed every 2 hours.

We hope this article will give you all the keys to spending a peaceful summer.

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