During the summer, the skin is subjected to various types of external aggressions. Apart from UV rays, sea water and chlorinated pool water, it is also exposed to heat. Follow our advice to protect your skin during a heatwave.
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Heatwave: How to protect your skin despite the heat?
Summary
- What are the effects of heat on the skin during a heatwave?
- The measures to adopt to protect the skin from heat
Published June 18, 2023,
updated on February 21, 2024,
by
Manon, Scientific Editor
—
4 min read
What are the effects of heat on the skin during a heatwave?
Sunlight is essential for the skin to synthesise Vitamin D. However, during a heatwave, the temperature can exceed 33°C for several days and have various effects on the skin. UV rays assault the skin, but it also undergoes other attacks due to the high temperature.
During a heatwave, the sun's rays are particularly aggressive. UVA rays penetrate further than UVB rays and reach the dermis, the deep layer of the skin. They are thus the cause of "photo-ageing". To protect itself, the epidermis thickens and struggles to eliminate toxins, sebum, sweat, etc. However, during a heatwave, the skin produces more sweat than usual. A difficulty in elimination can lead to various targeted problems such as heat rash.
During a heatwave, the skin absorbs an abnormal amount of UV rays while also experiencing an overproduction of sweat. Consequently, the epidermis is at risk of drying out and becoming fragile. Therefore, it is essential to protect it from the heat, especially when the temperature exceeds 33°C for several days.
The measures to adopt to protect the skin from heat.
To protect the skin from the harmful effects of heat, the following simple steps should be adhered to.
Hydration.
The first step to adopt, whether in a heatwave or not, is regular skin hydration. Our skin contains about 65% of our body's water. It is recommended to drink 1.5 litres of water per day to compensate for the water loss caused by perspiration. This water intake will allow the epidermis to maintain its hydration and regulate body temperature.
Besides drinking water, it is also crucial to apply moisturising treatments. Every day, morning and evening, cover your skin with a light moisturising cream. We recommend our 9-ingredient face moisturising cream for the face and the 10-ingredient body moisturising cream for the rest of the body. These formulas are designed from natural ingredients to suit all skin types. These treatments will easily integrate into a daily skincare routine.
Limitation of physical exertion.
During a heatwave, it is advisable to limit physical activity in order not to promote sweat production. It is not recommended to exert a lot of physical effort, especially when you are exposing yourself to the sun at the same time.
Limiting exposure to the sun.
Whether in a heatwave or not, it is recommended to limit the skin's exposure time to the sun's rays. If exposure is unavoidable, try to stay in the shade as much as possible and cover your skin with suitable clothing.
The selection of clothes to wear.
It is advisable to protect your body during sun exposure. However, during a heatwave, unsuitable clothing can promote perspiration by retaining heat. During this period, favour loose clothing and natural fabrics such as cotton or linen.
The use of mattifying skincare.
Regularly wiping away sweat can stimulate sebum secretion, which may further irritate the skin. To prevent the pores of the epidermis from being clogged by sweat and sebum, we recommend the use of a wipe or a mattifying serum like our azelaic acid serum which allows for the regulation of sebum production for a mattified skin appearance. It also contains organic bamboo extract which naturally possesses porous particles that absorb excess sebum on the skin.
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