For many people, summer time is the most anticipated season of the year. Warm temperatures and sunny days lure people outdoors to enjoy nature, go on vacations, and spend afternoons at the beach. The warm weather also provides us with a break from comon winter time skincare problems that plague people with dry, red, itchy skin. But summer time is not free of seasonal skin problems.
To provide remedies for summer skin problems, beauty writer, Victoria Moorhouse of Style Caster, consults leading NYC dermatologist, Dr. Hadley King of SKINNEY Medspa, in the article “How to Fix Every Annoying Summer Beauty Problem.”
“With chafing, bug bites, and sunburn to contend with, summer’s beauty problems can be tough to beat. Luckily, we consulted with a few pros and got the quick fix for every single annoyance. Take a look below.”
For all those adventurers at heart, summer is a sacred season that beckons them to explore nature and transverse the great outdoors. But, not all of the great outdoors is great for the skin. Besides the obvious issue of UV exposure, there are other dangers, that can wreak havoc on your skin. One of the most dreaded being toxic plants, such as poison ivy, sumac, and poison oak.
For this summer skin ailment, Style Caster warns its readers not to “underestimate this little itch-inducing leaf. The irritating rash it generates is no joke—and it comes on quicker than you realize.”
For those unfortunate few that are exposed to these toxic plants, Dr. Hadley King has some advice.”
“The Fix: If you start to notice the rash forming, Dr. Hadley King, a dermatologist at Skinney Medspa, suggests rinsing the area with lukewarm soapy water. This will help prevent the irritating urushiol oil found in poison ivy from spreading.” It doesn’t matter if only a small portion of your skin comes into contact with poison ivy or poison oak, the toxic oils can spread to other parts of the body. Following Dr. King’s advice to wash off as much of the toxic substance as possible is the first step.
After washing your skin, there is a possibility that some urushiol oil is still present, so whatever you do, do not itch. This is what spreads it. As any unfortunate person who has contracted poison oak or poison ivy can tell you, this is much harder than it sounds. The rash is not just ugly, it is incredibly itchy. Still, Dr. King tells Style Caster, refrain from itching to prevent the rash from spreading and to avoid potential infection.
To help aid in the soothing the itch “Dr. King suggests applying calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, or taking oral antihistamines. You can also apply a cold compress or take “short cool showers, or lukewarm baths with baking soda or colloidal oatmeal,” says Style Caster.
Another summer skin irritant that people should be aware of when enjoying nature and exploring the outdoors are bugs that bite, sting, or suck the life out of you. Dr. Hadley King tells the readers of Style Caster what to do in the occurrence of a bug bite, and the advice is similar to what you have already read. Just like you would to treat poison ivy, with a bug bite, wash the area, and do not scratch.
To help the itchiness, Dr King recomends applying Cortisone Cream or Calamine lotion. Taking and oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl, can also ease the itchiness and inflammation associated with bug bites.
Avoiding the skin irritants associated with bug bites can be a bit of a catch 22, because the insect repellents that are most effective usually contain DEET, which can also be a skin irritant for some people. For those who want to avoid repellents containing DEET, Dr. Hadley King offers a few natural insect repellents: “Consuming garlic or garlic pills could help, and she mentions that some believe vitamin B supplements can aid in shooing away bugs.”
Learn more about other common summer skin problems and their treatments:
