We normally associate dry, chapped skin with the dry air days of winter. However, summer can play havoc on your skin as well. In fact, dry skin is especially prone to developing patches and small cracks that may lead to premature aging.
What Causes Dry Skin During Warm Months?
There are quite a few things that may dry hands and skin during the warm months of the year. For instance, spending time in the heat can dehydrate you and if you don’t replenish your body with liquids, your skin may be one of the first things to dry out. But, it doesn’t have to be that hot outside in order to subject your body to dehydration. If it’s pleasantly warm, we may simply forget to replenish our bodies with liquids. We simply must get in the habit of taking in liquids regularly throughout the day. And don’t wait until you’re thirsty to take a drink. In fact, when you feel thirsty, your body is already in a state of mild dehydration.
During the warm months, many of us tend to spend more time indoors in air conditioning. While air conditioned air feels pleasant, it is dry and can have a dehydrating effect on skin througout the body.
Summer time can be party time. Alcohol intake can have a dehydrating effect on skin, so you may want to replenish alternate alcohol intake with non-alcoholic beverages.
And, it goes without saying that overexposure to the sun and heat can dry your skin. This is especially true if you live in an area with a dry climate. Try to wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Think: wearing a wide-brimmed hat and light colored comfortable cotton clothing that covers your arms and legs.
Some Ways to Prevent Dry Skin in Summer
1. Use a great quality skin moisturizing cream or lotion regularly. Beauchamp’s Hand Lotion was first formulated over 90 years ago and has been a popular way to treat dry chapped skin ever since. You can buy some of this lotion in various sizes from the online store, located here.
2. Drink more water. We’ve already covered dehydration but it begs to repeat it here. Drinking enough each day is extremely important, not just for preventing dry skin but for the proper functioning of your entire body’s systems.
3. Sunscreen is a must to apply. And, this includes cloudy days as well as on bright sunny ones. Try to use sunscreen products that are labeled “broad spectrum” and include zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. That way, you are protected from both types of UV rays: UVA and UVB. You should use sunscreen that has a protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
4. Eat right. By that, it means that you should take in foods that are rich with potent antioxidants like vitamin C and E. Some examples of antioxidant-rich foods are kale, berries, artichokes and red cabbage. In fact, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is just plain good for you.
5. Use humidifiers. We’ve already covered that air conditioners can dry your skin. A quality humidifier in your home or business can help bring back the moisture lost in an air conditioned space.
6. Try to avoid a hot bath if you tend to have dry skin. Hot water will remove beneficial oils on the skin that would otherwise protect you from dry skin. Lukewarm or cold showers are the way to go in the warm summer months.
7. Avoid caffeine. Yeah…that can be a tough one, I know. Many of us need our daily dose of morning pick-me-up but the fact is that caffeine is a well-known diuretic and has a dehydrating effect on your skin. If you do indulge in your favorite morning joe (and how many of us won’t), at least chase it with plenty of water to rehydrate your body to make up for any lost moisture.
8. Avoid over-doing the alcohol. Again, a tough one to avoid, especially if summer fun is what is happening at the moment. Besides the obvious dangers or over-doing alcohol drinking, it also dehydrates the skin, leaving it dry and dull looking over time. Again, chase it down with plenty of non-alcoholic beverages.
9. Avoid foods with too much sugar, salt and carbohydrates. Yes, these hard-to-avoid substances can dehydrate you, as well.
Finally…
Your skin needs extra care during the warm summer months. Regardless of your skin type, moisture loss during this season may lead to dry, dehydrated, and patchy skin. The good thing is that Beauchamp’s Hand Lotion, when applied as a part of your morning and evening care routine will go a long way to alleviate chapped, dry skin, no matter what time of the year it is. Feel free to try some today. You can purchase a bottle of Beauchamp’s Hand Lotion right here.