During the warmer months, your skin is subjected to a number of environmental stressors. Although more common in the winter, dry skin can be a problem in summer, and exposure to the sun can cause flaking and burning. Here, we profile some products that will help you avoid or repair summer skin problems.
Care for Rough, Cracked or Scaly Skin
The warmer months provide plenty of opportunity to develop rough, dry skin. If you’re a gardener, you will likely be familiar with the problem. The more you wash your skin, the drier it becomes. Prolonged contact with soil can dry the hands, and the abrasive effect of soil can cause skin to lose its protective barrier, leading to further loss of moisture.
Construction, agricultural, and some office workers are also familiar with dry hands year round. Prolonged contact with paper, wood, shavings and other rough materials increases the rate of water loss and removes the natural oils that help keep skin soft and supple. This, in turn, leads to dry, chapped and cracked skin.
Other causes of dry skin include bathing or showering in too-warm water, chlorine, and - sometimes - reduction of dietary fat intake. Menopause and aging can also cause the skin to dry out and require additional moisture.
New Nexcare™ Advanced Skin Cream softens and replenishes rough, cracked or scaly skin. The lipid-rich non-greasy formula is pH balanced and is quickly absorbed by dry skin.
An Answer to Painful Skin Cracks
If you suffer from dry skin, you may also experience unpleasant skin cracks, particularly on the knees, elbows, hands and feet.
Nexcare™ Skin Crack Care seals painful skin cracks and promotes healing. This easy-to-use, fast-drying, clear liquid is applied with a brush and forms a waterproof seal over the cut. Vitamin C, vitamin E and TeaTree oil help speed healing. For best results use with Nexcare™ Advanced Skin Cream, available now at London Drugs.
Sunscreen Mousse with a Difference
New Sea & Ski® sunscreen mousse formulations take sun protection to a new level. Incorporating Proderm® technology, the mousse penetrates the upper layer of the skin (epidermis) to protect from within.
In addition to superior screening ingredients that provide broad-spectrum, 8-hour SPF 30 protection against the sun, the formula also contains antioxidants for increased protection against cellular damage. In particular, the antioxidant astaxanthin provides potent protection to the epidermal layer. This antioxidant has been shown to be over 100 times stronger than vitamin E and ten times stronger than beta-carotene.
To further support the skin, Sea & Ski® sunscreen mousses contain a number of naturally soothing extracts such as avocado oil. The All Day Sport 30, All Day 30+, and All Day Kids formulations are available from London Drugs.
Sunburn Savvy
Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, skin suffers a painful sunburn. The pain of sunburn is usually greatest between six and 48 hours following exposure. Here’s what to do to reduce the discomfort:
- Take a cool (not cold) bath.
- Stay out of the sun. Sunburned skin usually needs at least two weeks to heal.
- Take acetaminophen, ASA or ibuprofen to ease the pain and inflammation. (Consult your pharmacist before taking any pain reliever if you have a pre-existing medical condition.)
- Stay well-hydrated to prevent dizziness.
- Frequently apply an emollient to moisturize and soothe the skin.
After the Sun
No matter how well you protect your skin while in the sun, it will benefit from after-sun care. New Sea & Ski® Aloe After Sun Moisturizer deeply moisturizes the skin, helping to prevent peeling. The convenient foam formulation penetrates the upper layers of the skin and helps soothe and rehydrate.
Neutrogena® After Sun treatment is a cooling lotion that instantly soothes the skin. The inclusion of soy helps moisturize and prevent dryness.