Here’s How Winter Can Worsen Acne And What You Should Do About It
The right way to tackle winter breakouts
It’s no secret that the winter months can be tough on our skin. The cold, dry air can leave our skin parched and looking less than its best. And for those of us who are prone to acne, the winter months can be even more challenging. Yes, breakouts in winter may seem an anomaly as we always assume acne to be a summertime skin concern. The increased humidity and warmth trigger our sebaceous glands to secrete more oil than usual leading to acne. So experiencing acne in winter may come as a surprise.
Why Does Acne Worsen In Winters?
For many, winters seem to aggravate existing acne or trigger more flare-ups than usual. While oily-skinned people are prone to having clogged pores and breakouts around the year, people with dry skin too may experience their share of acne flare-ups during this season. Here’s why:
1. Weather Conditions
As the moisture in our skin is stripped away by cold, dry air, indoor heating and hot showers, our skin’s natural defences weaken. Without the protective barrier, the acne-causing bacteria thrive and wreak havoc on our skin. Cold weather also increases skin inflammation, one of the key physiological stages in acne formation.
2. Excess Sebum Levels
Dehydrated skin is another common cause of acne during winter. To compensate for the low moisture levels, the sebaceous glands in our skin tend to secrete more sebum. The excess sebum mixes with dirt and dead skin cells resulting in clogged pores and acne.
3. Problematic Skincare Routine
Since our skin feels dry and stretchy during winter, we often end up over-moisturising our skin by using thick moisturisers. Ingredients found in such moisturisers are often comedogenic, especially for blemish-prone skin. So these moisturisers may do more harm than good by clogging your pores and leaving you to deal with pimples as an after-effect.
How To Deal With Winter Acne?
1. Nourish From The Inside
The best way to tackle breakouts related to winter dryness is by boosting your skin health from the inside out with the right skin supplements. Our Glow Inside Out Morning Skin Bioactive Powder is a collagen drink that promotes healthy, glowing and hydrated skin. It has ingredients like niacinamide to reduce sebum levels and inflammation, Vitamin E to create a protective barrier and various antioxidants like Vitamin C, Sea Buckthorn extract, Blueberry extract and Coenzyme Q10 to protect your skin from damage.
2. Switch Your Cleanser
If you have blemish-prone skin, you may prefer potent cleansers that deeply cleanse your skin. But these may prove to be too harsh for winter months. Switch to gentler, hydrating formulas that cleanse your skin well but don't end up stripping all the moisture from your skin. If you have dry skin, look for a cream-to-foam cleanser to avoid taut, stretchy skin.
3. Be Gentle With Your Skin
As tempting as they may seem, avoid hot showers in winter as they tend to dehydrate your skin. Also, avoid squeezing your pimples or constantly touching your face since it spreads bacteria all over your face and irritates the skin. And pick gentle skincare products that don’t contain artificial fragrances or irritants that worsen dry skin conditions.
4. Layer Your Moisturisers
Instead of using one thick moisturiser, layer lightweight moisturisers to keep your skin well moisturised. Start with a light, hydrating serum to bind moisture to your skin. Then top it off with a lightweight facial oil to lock the hydration and form a barrier against cold, dry air.
Our Glowy Skin Phytomolecular Serumizer is a 2-in-1 serum cum moisturiser that deeply hydrates and brightens your skin. It has triple-action actives to strengthen the skin’s defence and reduce inflammation, saccharide isomerate to keep skin hydrated for up to 72 hours and bio-fermented Korean Red oil to moisturise without making your skin greasy.
5. Exfoliate Regularly
Exfoliating your skin 1-2 times a week helps unclog your pores by removing the gunk and grime in the dead skin cells. Pick a gentle exfoliant, preferably one with salicylic acid which deeply exfoliates your pores to reduce congestion and minimise the risk of breakouts. Be wary of using physical scrubs, keep away from extremely gritty ones and do not use it more than once a week anyway.
6. Visit A Dermatologist
If making all these changes doesn’t seem to improve your skin condition, it may be time to pay a visit to a dermatologist for professional help. They can identify the root cause of your acne and provide prescription ointments and in-office treatments to treat your acne.