How to Prepare Your Skin For the Heat
By Kim Dahle | Published on April 13, 2010 | 0 Comments
Perhaps you’ve finally reached retirement age and have decided to treat yourself to a warmer lifestyle; or maybe you’re just sick and tired of spending your winters digging your car out of mounds of snow and shivering your way to sleep each night. No matter what your specific situation might be, one thing’s for sure: If you’re moving from a colder climate down to sunny Florida, then you’ll need to do your part to acclimate your skin to the new type of weather you’re about to experience.
Kim Dahle is a seasoned skin care consultant at Natura Medspa & Laser Center, a medical spa serving Florida’s Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton that offers everything from laser hair removal to acne treatment to chemical peels, and according to her, Florida residents on a whole tend to suffer from sun-damaged skin and other related issues. For this reason, anyone moving to Florida should take steps to avoid falling into the same sort of trap.
According to Dahle, when it comes to sun exposure, the key is to ease your skin into it slowly. Otherwise, your skin is likely to find itself in a state of “sunshine shock” after your first several weeks in Florida. Instead of diving into a routine that involves spending hours upon hours in the sun, work your way up to that point slowly. Start by limiting your sun exposure to a couple of hours per day at the most, and try to avoid the sun during peak hours (from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.), as this is when it’s at its strongest. If you want to sit out and catch some rays, then try enjoying your morning coffee on your balcony, or consider indulging in a late afternoon snack on the terrace. But during those first few weeks in particular, you’ll want to limit your sun exposure during that potentially harmful peak daytime period.
Of course, no matter when you choose to spend time in the sun, it’s important to protect your skin accordingly. Sunscreen is a reasonable start, but don’t assume that you can lather on some sun block in the morning and be protected all day. If you’ll be spending time in and out of the sun throughout any given day, then you’ll need to get into the habit of reapplying sunscreen. You also might consider upping the ante on the SPF front. If the sunscreen you’d typically use back home contains SPF 15 protection, then try upgrading to SPF 30. You should also get into the habit of wearing a hat and coverups when sunning or spending time near the water Remember, your skin might have a hard time tolerating a stronger dose of sunshine at first – especially when it come to areas such as the upper thighs and lower back that don’t tend to see the sun too often. Since the last thing you’ll want is to have to deal with a sunburn while settling into your new Florida abode, you should make sun protection your number one priority.
Another thing to keep in mind with respect to the Florida sun is that it has a way of causing damage when you’d least expect it. Even if you’re not planning to spend more than a few minutes outdoors, you should still lather up with a generous dose of sunscreen. Keep in mind that your office windows or car windshield might not adequately protect your skin from the sun. So to avoid all sorts of damage, use sunscreen every day.
While it’s wise to be vigilant about personal sun protection, you can do other things to help your skin adjust to its new climate. According to Dahle, anyone who moves from a colder climate to Florida should consult with a skin care expert before putting her skin at risk for sun damage and other possible ailments. An experienced skin care consultant can evaluate your specific circumstances and come up with a regimen that will keep your skin looking vibrant and healthy despite its newfound exposure to constant sun. Remember, the skin care products that worked for you in the past might not help you as much in the Florida heat. As part of your skin care evaluation, a professional can advise you as to which products will most likely serve your skin well for cleansing, moisturizing, and exfoliating purposes when you’re in Florida.
A move down to Florida can serve as a wonderfully welcome change on a physical and emotional level. By being smart about your skin care habits and giving your body time to adjust to the sun, you can slowly but surely ease your way into a warmer and gentler lifestyle.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.