A Dermatologist’s Guide: 10 Essential Tips To Protect Your Skin From Sweat And Pollution

NEW DELHI: The weather changes and pollution levels rise can be bad for your skin, causing stubborn pimples, acne breakouts, and an overall dullness. Dr. Ameesha Mahajan, a cosmetic dermatologist and the founder of Eden Skin Clinic, says that you can protect your skin from these environmental stressors with only a few simple steps.

Dr. Mahajan gave HT Lifestyle eight important recommendations for keeping your skin healthy every day in an interview.

1. Wash your face twice a day. It’s really important to do this. Twice a day, wash your face with a gentle cleanser that has a balanced pH. If you do something that makes you sweat a lot, like working out, wash your face right away to get rid of the sweat, bacteria, and pollutants that might clog your pores.
2. Exfoliate gently: Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week is a good technique to get rid of clogged pores. Dr. Mahajan, on the other hand, recommends against using abrasive scrubs since they might hurt the skin’s natural barrier and make acne worse. Instead, choose light exfoliants that won’t make your skin feel bad.
3. Add care that fights pollution: If you want to fight pollution, an antioxidant-rich serum is your best buddy. Vitamin C and niacinamide are two ingredients that help fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that make you look older and dull.
4. No matter what type of skin you have, you should moisturize every day. You need to stay hydrated even if your skin is greasy. A lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer will protect your skin barrier by keeping dirt and pollutants from getting through.
5. Use sunscreen every day of the year. It’s not just for sunny days. Dr. Mahajan says that everyone should use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or greater every day, even while they are inside. Pollution can make UV damage worse, so sunscreen is your best defense.
6. Control Sweat to Keep Breakouts from Happening: Instead of pushing sweat off your face, gently pat it with a clean cloth to avoid irritation and congested pores. Use light fabrics when you work out and stay away from heavy lotions that might hold sweat against your skin.
7. Don’t touch your face: Your hands touch a lot of bacteria and contaminants every day. When you touch your face, these contaminants go on your skin, which makes you more likely to have breakouts. Also, make sure to keep your personal things, like your phone, mask, and glasses, clean so that bacteria don’t spread.
8. Live a healthy life: What you eat is important. Drink plenty of water to help get rid of pollutants. Eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in antioxidants will make your skin a lot healthier. Also, try to get 7–8 hours of sleep every night so your skin can heal and grow again.
9. Be careful when treating acne: Use treatments with salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or niacinamide on acne areas. Most essential, don’t pick at or touch your acne. This can make the inflammation worse and leave permanent scars.
10. Check your skin regularly: Pay close attention to how your skin reacts to changes in the weather and things you do every day. Be ready to change your skincare products with the seasons, and if you keep getting acne flare-ups, don’t be afraid to see a doctor. This article is merely for information and does not give expert medical advice. If you have questions concerning a specific medical problem, you should always talk to a skilled dermatologist.