Here’s Everything You Wanted to Know About Seasonal Acne

If at the same time of the year every year, your otherwise problem-free skin gets breakouts, you may have seasonal acne. Aside from stress and an unhealthy lifestyle, change in seasons can also cause acne. While it may seem obvious why one gets breakouts during summers, in winters the cold air and extremely low humidity contributes to dryness, making the skin more sensitive.

According to Dr Rashmi Shetty, Celebrity Dermatologist, Aesthetic Medicine Expert and Author, “This kind of acne can happen to a lot of people. It can happen during winters when your oil glands might go for an overdrive. It can happen during summers when you get too sweaty and the ambient temperatures and humidity are high. It can also happen when the levels of pollution are high. Certain seasons do end up making your skin more reactive.”

However, the effect of seasons on acne is variable, says Dr Jaishree Sharad, Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist and Founder, Skinfiniti, Mumbai, India. According to her, “Some people had worsening of their acne in winters while some in summers. The rise in temperature, increased humidity, and sweating are the reasons why there is an aggravation in the acne in summers. In winters, the dryness in air causes the body to produce more sebum causing clogged pores and hence, breakouts.”

While you cannot do anything about the dry, cold winters or the hot, humid summers, you certainly can keep your pores clean, irrespective of the season. Use a gentle exfoliator, once a week, to maintain a healthy, blemish-free skin throughout the year.