Fall is here, and no matter where you live your skin will know something in the air is changing. A lot of our patient base resides in Florida for at least some (if not most of the year) where the climate is usually warm and humid. But dry seasons still find their way to Florida, and no matter where you live you’re going to be feeling some drier air in the coming months.
And that means drier skin, too. Here are some helpful tips to keep your skin in sync with the weather, especially if your skin is dry and sensitive.
Out with the old… damaged skin cells.
Remember those long, bright summer days? Seaside vacations filled with sunny beaches, afternoon barbecues on holiday weekends, sunset cruises soaking up the last rays of the day, and lots of time spent walking, bicycling, and activities in the warm sun… they’re all the reasons most of us love summer best. But guess who doesn’t love summer? Your skin. It has spent the last few months trying it’s hardest to fend off the strong UV rays, keeping the sweat from clogging up your pores, and sloughing away old, damaged skin cells. The cooler dryness of autumn is quite the breathe of fresh air for your skin. You might not know it yet but you probably racked up a little sun damage throughout the season despite your skin’s best efforts to get rid of it. Our suggestion? Get a laser treatment to help your skin cells turnover faster before it becomes a problem later on. Sun damage accumulates throughout your life and it’s responsible for a majority of the aging you see. Getting a Fraxel, Clear + Brilliant, or BBL laser treatment (your dermatologist can tell you which is best for your skin type) will work as a great “maintenance” treatment annually to reverse any damage that’s been done.
Don’t forget to bundle up in heavier sweaters (and moisturizers).
Your skin needs a little extra layers of protection from the cooler air, and we don’t mean just sweaters and scarves. If you have naturally dry and sensitive skin, using a richer moisturizer will help keep your skin protected from the elements as they cool down. Autumn air is notoriously dry, so remember the rest of your body, too. Your face, neck, chest, and everywhere else could benefit from a moisturizer (added bonus if it contains vitamin C!) And if you have oily skin, this isn’t an invitation to stop using moisturizer. Just keep it lighter and keep applying sunscreen every day because as far as we know, the sun still keeps rising even when it’s cooler outside.
Swapping out your summer closet for winter? Don’t forget your makeup brushes, too.
Let’s be honest—none of us clean out makeup brushes as much as we swear we do. Even though we all know how gross a makeup brush can get, very few of us actually give them a proper cleaning every two weeks like we’re supposed to. It’s important to start fresh in fall because there is probably a LOT of bacteria built up on your brushes from the summer months, so either give them a deep cleaning with your favorite cleanser or toss them out and get new ones. And if you know you’re not going to be good about keeping them clean, you might be better off switching to disposable makeup sponges or just applying your foundation with clean hands to prevent spreading built up bacteria. To be honest, using your hands is more environmentally friendly anyway and it’ll keep you from wasting any of your makeup products.
Bring a little summer back into your home…
…by trying a humidifier! This suggestion is mostly beneficial for anyone living outside of South Florida, but humidifiers have multiple health benefits. The one we’ll focus on is your skin. Humid air that’s rich in moisture will have you waking up every morning to dewey skin that’s managed to hold onto its moisture from the night before. The dry air can take its toll on your skin all day like we mentioned, and a humidifier helps dry skin replenish. Even if your skin has adequate moisture, a humidifier will help retain that hydration throughout the night. Aside from the other health benefits of a humidifier, you’ll be happy you made the investment.
If you fly back and forth during summer and winter months, it's probably best to keep your humidifier in the cooler climate where you'll need it the most. And don't forget to switch your products accordingly between winter and summer depending on where you'll be staying.
Interested in swapping out some of your skincare products for fall? Try our medical-grade products at SupriyaMDSkincare.com to keep your skin hydrated this season, or contact our office and we'll set some product aside for you: 561.805.9399 | info@supriyamd.com.