Illinois is known for its long, cold winters and hot, humid summers, which means months like March and April are somewhere in between. One day, the climate could be dry and below freezing, but the next, it could be humid and in the mid-50s. Along with other preventative health steps this spring, don’t forget to stay up on your lip moisturizer and adding a strong SPF sunscreen back into your regular routine. That said, seasonal weather changes typically require more than adding sunscreen to keep the skin healthy. This is the time to address your skin care priorities. Below, we’ve outlined some steps that should be on your springtime skin care checklist.
Changing temperatures typically come with big changes to humidity. When daily forecasts switch from 5 percent humidity to over 80 percent, you don’t want to be caught with that heavy winter moisturizer on your face. Even if you have naturally dry skin, your moisturizing products won’t need to work as hard during the summer months. Use this time to stock up on lightweight moisturizers and cleansers so that you don’t contribute to summertime breakouts.
March and April are the perfect time to shed your winter skin – almost literally. Dry air during the winter months can cause skin cells to die faster, resulting in an increased buildup of dead skin cells. This, in part, is what contributes to dull-looking skin in December and January. With an exfoliator, you can easily remove the months of cell buildup. When you invest in a high-quality chemical or physical exfoliator, you’ll see a difference in just a few weeks. If you’re unsure which type of exfoliator – whether chemical, like salicylic acid, or physical, like a scrub – is best for your skin, talk to your dermatologist.
Springtime is an excellent opportunity to get a skin care treatment, whether that means trying Botox, a chemical peel, acne treatment, or a new cosmetic dermatology treatment you’ve had your eye on for months. Spring is popular because most skin care treatments may cause photosensitivity as a side effect. This condition is an extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet rays from the sun, as well as other light sources. To avoid pain, sensitivity, and potential sunburns, people experiencing photosensitivity must stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you live in a sunny part of the country, like southern Illinois, this can be difficult in the summer months. By contrast, March and April are typically very cloud. You may already be planning to spend much of the spring inside at home, anyway. Why not get a treatment and let your skin heal during this time?
We should all be wearing sunscreen year-round, but we understand that most people don’t take this step. That said, spring is a great time to start getting in the habit of adding SPF to your routine. It’s just before the summer months, when you spend more time outside, but just far enough away to develop a strong habit. Plus, sunscreen has changed a lot in the past few years. No longer will you have to slather thick, goopy lotion on your face to reap the benefits of sun protection. Now, you can easily purchase foundations, moisturizers, and tinted powders with a range of SPF protection. When summer eventually comes, you’ll want to have the products and preparation you need to step outside with healthy, confident skin. We recommend SPF 50, but SPF 30 will also serve you well if applied on a regular basis.
Contact us to schedule an appointment with our dermatology clinic for a consultation about your skin care routine or about a skin treatment procedure.
