Summer heat can feel brutal, harsh and oppressive. Direct sun exposure, excessive sweating, humidity all lead to several problems like tanning, rashes, body acne. The skin bears a massive toll.
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To prevent such damage and keep skin healthy and fresh during extreme heat, a proper summer body care routine becomes the need of the hour instead of being optional.
We asked Dr Manisha Mareddy, founder of Shlok Dermtalogy and Wellness Clinic, expert in advanced, interventional and holistic dermatology about bodycare routine. What are the key goals you should focus on? Dr Mareddy believed, “A summer body care routine should focus on barrier protection, sweat management, and photoprotection, all of which are based on how your skin functions and protects.”
Here is a clear, no-nonsense, to the point body care routine guide recommended by the dermatologist, where she covered all the essentials:
1. Cleanse without harsh ingredients:
- In summer there is more sweat production and more environmental pollutants, dust.
- Mild cleanser might not give you a fresh feeling, but harsh cleansers loaded with too many actives are counterproductive too.
- Set a base for skin to repair and recover from sun and heat damage. Using a cleanser with a skin-friendly pH (~5.5) is essential.
- Avoid harsh soaps. They disrupt the stratum corneum lipid barrier, increasing transepidermal water loss.
- Shower once or twice daily with lukewarm water. Avoid long hot showers.
2. Switch to lightweight moisturisers
- Humidity doesn’t replace hydration. Use light, fast-absorbing formulations, gel lotions or emulsions with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.
- These restore barrier function without occlusion.
- You can still use heavy butters if you have very dry skin or eczema.
3. Use actives smartly
- Avoid over-exfoliating the skin during summer, as it can weaken the skin barrier and increase irritation in heat and humidity.
- Be cautious with AHA- and BHA-based cleansers or exfoliating products, even if they promise targeted skin benefits.
- Low concentrations of AHAs, BHAs, or niacinamide can still be beneficial when used correctly and in suitable formulations.
- Using strong actives incorrectly or excessively can backfire and severely damage the skin barrier.
4. Sunscreen is non-negotiable for exposed body areas
- UV exposure can lead to tanning, premature ageing and even DNA damage to the skin.
- Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50 on all exposed body areas.
- Use an adequate amount of sunscreen, roughly equivalent to a shot glass for full-body application (Use ~2 mg/cm²)
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours, especially if you are sweating heavily.
- Sunscreen remains essential even while swimming, so switch to water-resistent formulas for better protection
- Oral photoprotection supplements can be used as an additional measure to help combat sun damage.
- Wearing UPF 40+ rated clothing are beneficial for outdoor activities.
5. Sweat and friction control
- Swap to breathable fabrics like cotton and linen.
- In high-sweat areas, use prescription antiperspirants at night.
- There is pigmentation and risk of infection with more sweat and friction.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
