Acne is a very unpleasant symptom of a certain process that can occur both inside the body and lie on the surface. There are situations when many people experience such skin formations periodically. It would seem that they use effective ointments and creams, but they can only get a positive result temporarily. The thing is that the cause of this pathology has not been precisely determined, so acne visits your face from time to time. Let's try to figure out why some people get acne and others don't.
Why acne appears in summer: on the face and body
Now let's figure out what the problem is. Indeed, many people who suffer from constant acne complain more about rashes in the summer, since acne appears with greater intensity and seems to become even larger, more painful, and more unpleasant. Why? Dermatologists identify several factors that provoke the occurrence of extremely intense acne.
Namely:
- lack of moisture;
- exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
- increased sweating due to heat.
Now let's look at all these reasons in more detail. In the summer, the air temperature rises greatly, and the percentage of moisture becomes lower. Of course, our epidermis does not react to this in the best way. Heat is a killer for good skin, as it not only makes it sweat a lot, but also dries out much of the moisture it needs. You've probably noticed that after a whole day in the sun, she looks kind of lethargic, weak, and tired. This is a clear sign that you are not getting enough water. The fact is that abundant hydration maintains elasticity and high-quality protection, so that the skin can normally fight bacteria. If the protection is weakened, then harmful microorganisms penetrate the pores without hindrance and begin to multiply there, causing acne to appear in the summer.
Ultraviolet radiation has ambiguous effects on the skin. On the one hand, it dries out pimples. This seems strange, but it’s true: natural ultraviolet radiation destroys bacteria, which protects the epidermis from acne. But on the other hand, it also causes acne. Where does this paradox come from? The fact is that the negative influence begins exactly when the positive one ends. Once you stay in the sun a little longer than expected, ultraviolet radiation will become your worst enemy: it will destroy the natural protection of the skin and make it vulnerable. Therefore, as soon as you enter the house after a long stay in the sun, bacteria will begin to attack the dermis. And she is defenseless against them. We discussed the effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin in more detail in the article about how a solarium can affect the epidermis.
In addition, in summer, acne appears due to excessive sweating. The heat makes us sweat, this is normal. And if the skin breathes freely, then there are no problems. But as soon as we begin to block this process with synthetic clothing or decorative cosmetics, the pores become clogged and in the evening you can find an abundance of blackheads, of all colors and sizes. This happens because sweat, which contains many harmful substances (sweating is a natural process of detoxification of the body), lingers on the skin and causes irritation, inflammation, and acne.
Three types of Propionibacterium acnes
Several years ago, the whole world looked at Propionibacterium acnes as a single microbe that was not divided into other strains (varieties). They multiply in the sebaceous glands, and when the immune system is impaired, these microbes cause acne.
To prove that acne bacteria has several varieties, skin samples were taken from 100 volunteers using special sticky strips. Microbes were then isolated from them, and DNA was isolated from each bacterium.
DNA helped reveal the main secret - why some people have acne and others don’t. And it turned out that the acne bacterium exists not in a single copy, but in three!
“We were very interested in understanding that the bacteria look very different from diseased and healthy skin. So we were able to detect three varieties of Propionibacterium acnes. Moreover, all of them are very, very rare in people with dark skin.”
The research has not yet been completed. But today we can say with confidence that this third type of Propionibacterium acnes helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of environmental factors
This means you can increase the amount of a good strain of Propionibacterium acnes by using a cream or lotion that will contain beneficial acne bacteria. All of them will protect the skin from inflammation, and not cause it.
These beneficial bacteria can be compared to those found in natural yoghurts. They help the stomach and intestines work normally. This means that beneficial strains will destroy harmful ones even before they begin their “work.”
Prevention of acne in summer: on the face and body
Now it’s worth talking about how to avoid this phenomenon in the future. These rules must be followed, because even if you carry out all the procedures necessary to treat acne, acne will appear again in the summer, simply because you make the same mistakes. In addition, if the negative impact on the skin does not stop in time, then in the future this will result in much more serious and irreversible problems. For example, in premature aging, loss of collagen in the skin, and the appearance of age spots.
And in order to prevent your summer vacation from turning into a battlefield where you are constantly trying to cure acne, but it appears again and again, you need to adhere to the following rules:
- Apply moisturizer to your skin. Twice a day, at least. This will minimize the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation and heat on the epidermis - moisture will still dry out, but at least enough of it will remain to provide normal protection for the skin;
- Sunbathe only before noon or after 15:00, or reduce your time in the sun to a minimum. Thanks to this, you will stop drying the skin altogether and prevent ultraviolet radiation from having a destructive effect on the epidermis. But remember that stopping going out in the sun is also a bad idea. It provides the body with vitamin D, which is also necessary for healthy skin;
- try not to use decorative cosmetics and wear only light clothing made from natural fabrics. So, sweating will not have a negative effect on the skin: it will breathe and the process will remain natural;
- drink more water. This is back to the topic of moisture. Constantly replenish your moisture reserves, and the heat will not bother your skin.
If you follow these rules, the number of acne will be reduced to a minimum. And if they suddenly appear, the reason will not be due to the time of year. Moreover, all of the above are banal rules that will allow you to maintain health and normal well-being in the summer.
What scientists say
“We realized that not all Propionibacterium acnes microbes, also called acne bacteria, are the same. And if some cause acne, others, on the contrary, protect the skin.” This is how Hoying Li spoke about his research.
The results obtained are now actively used in dermatology in Europe and America. And each patient with acne here receives strictly individual treatment, which depends on what kind of acne bacteria were found on his skin.
This means there is not always a need to prescribe antibiotics and retinoids, which have many contraindications and side effects.
Now it becomes clear why some people develop acne, while others do not have them throughout their lives.
How to get rid of acne in summer: on the face and body
As for treatment, everything is even simpler. Firstly, if you don’t touch the skin with your hands and don’t aggravate the situation, then everything will go away by itself. Indeed, if acne appears in the summer due to the sun or ultraviolet radiation, then it will go away on its own, and as quickly as it appeared. But if you have problems with this or want your acne to disappear faster, you can try:
- skincare cosmetics designed to treat acne;
- salicylic acid;
- zinc ointment;
- Iodinol.
But you should understand that all of the above remedies are antibacterial, drying drugs. That is, they will not only kill all harmful microorganisms that cause acne in the summer, but will also most likely dry out the skin. And in the summer, when the epidermis already suffers from a lack of moisture and protection, this is not the best option. Therefore, we recommend that you still leave this situation to be resolved without your participation.
Photo: Nature of the rashes
The answer to the question - why many people have acne on their face - will be given by finding out the reasons for their appearance, age and location.
Perhaps it’s just improper skin care, but most often the causes are diseases of the internal organs and microorganisms.
See if you can get rid of acne scars. How to get rid of acne in a week of mask? Find out further.
How to get rid of acne in 1 day without squeezing?
The answer is here. For correct diagnosis and treatment, it is necessary, in addition to a cosmetologist, to consult a doctor for a detailed examination. Acne can be cured with comprehensive and well-chosen care and treatment.
How to protect yourself from autumn exacerbation:
According to my observations, it is very difficult to prevent it, because it always occurs, and as luck would have it, just before the start of school. We can only endure it, making it as painless as possible.
To do this, do not forget about your diet, eat more vegetables, cereals, exclude fried foods, in general, everything is according to the standard. Take care of your face regularly, don't let laziness break you. By the way, I recently heard on the radio that it takes 21 days for a person to get used to something. Then the laziness disappears, and you begin to act “automatically”.
I started writing this article a week ago (then abandoned it), and now my face is completely fine. I don’t know about you, but the peak of my exacerbation most often occurs in September. In general, we must be patient and just get through this difficult period.
What's next
Now that it has become clear why some people get acne and others don’t, scientists have the opportunity to create a product that would kill only the harmful ones, but not the beneficial types of acne bacteria.
Doctors say with pain in their voices that the arsenal of drugs for treating acne and acne has not expanded for many years. During all this time, not a single new active substance has appeared that would help people fight acne.
This study literally turned everything upside down. Now we just have to wait for the moment when medicines based on the beneficial variant of Propionibacterium acnes appear on the market.
Author - Anna Mikhailova, dermatologist-cosmetologist of the first category, specialist at the Academy of Scientific Beauty. Especially for the site “Treating Acne”.
About the reasons for the break:
We are all unsatisfied with something in our lives. And it will never suit you, this is the essence of our ego, it is insatiable. At the end of August, several events occurred (I will talk about them in subsequent articles, if anyone is interested), which, if they did not change my worldview, then made me look at many things in a new way. This site also underwent such a revision; I thought for a long time whether it was worth continuing. When I decided that it was worth it, as luck would have it, my laptop broke.
In general, what I want to say. This site will continue to exist, I will write about what I think about, and nothing can change that. Next week I will release the course I announced a little earlier, and then we’ll see.
Thank you for staying with us, together we will win, I am sure of it. See you, friends!
