Common Skin Problems in Early Summer

Skin problems are often affected by the time of year, so it is important to be prepared for changes in the seasons. If your skin condition reacts to shifts in the weather or other changes in your environment, you may need to alter your skincare routine or ask your dermatologist for advice on managing your symptoms as they change.

Seasonal Allergies and Your Skin

The main issues in spring and early summer are allergies, which can trigger skin problems such as eczema. Pollen can be especially problematic as this is the time of year when many potentially allergenic plants are releasing it, right when you start wanting to spend more time outdoors. Covering up with long sleeves can prevent allergens from coming into direct contact with your skin, but allergies and eczema can also be triggered indirectly. If you suffer from hay fever, you may also find that the skin around your eyes and nose are being affected if you are rubbing at them a lot due to your symptoms. Try to avoid rubbing as much as possible and use some extra moisturiser here to calm the skin if necessary. Taking medication for your hay fever should also help.

Sun Protection

Another issue to consider as the weather gets warmer is sun damage. It is easy to think that you only need to protect your skin in the middle of summer, but if you are spending a lot of time outdoors then even the weaker sun in April and May can harm your skin. The damage may be invisible now, but it could lead to skin problems such as actinic keratoses or even skin cancer in the future. If you have fair skin, you could even end up with a sunburn early in the year if you stay out too long. Protect yourself by limiting your time in direct sunlight and using sunscreen of at least SPF 15. Getting a little bit of sun can be good for you, but you shouldn’t overdo it even at this time of year.