Humidity Causes Pimples … Really? 

What may sound like an old wives’ tale is actually backed by pure, hard science. Humidity causes pimples, and a host of other skin problems. This is exacerbated with oily skin.

There are quite a few reasons why humidity can mess with your skin pH levels and hence with its overall health. The primary reason is the film of oil it forces to settle on your face once the seasons change. For folks with oily skin, this is an even bigger problem. 

With this film of humidity, there is an excess of sebum that is excreted by your oil glands, which in turn gets trapped under the same film, and as a result leads to excess congestion, blocking your pores and leading to acne and other issues, especially for those with already oily skin. 

Along with this, sweat also evaporates much slower in humid weather. Thanks to this, it remains trapped under the same film of humidity, leading to breakouts as sweat is full of substances the body naturally tries to get rid of, like excess hormones. 

What can you do to treat this? 

Maintaining general skin hygiene in your routine, including an anti acne face wash, a face gel or a moisturizer for oily skin, is important. Let’s break this down.

• Anti Acne Face Wash

A cleanser is that element of the routine upon which the whole act hinges. It is one of the most crucial parts, especially for people with oily skin looking for a routine that helps them avoid acne during humid times. Humidity often causes a build-up of dirt, so this is not something that can be overlooked. 

We recommend the DermDoc 2% Salicylic Acid Face Wash. The reason why this is an absolute must have is because of the fact that salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid which treats acne by unclogging pores and reducing swelling and hyperpigmentation. But if you don’t trust us, trust the thousands of people who purchase it on Purplle, making it the best selling face wash on the site, currently ranking at #1!

It is antibacterial, which is an essential for oily skin, as during humid weather, the natural oil often traps dirt and bacteria, which is a breeding ground for acne. 

 

• Moisturizer for Oily Skin 

Moisturizer for oily skin, while sounding counterproductive, is actually extremely useful, as moisturization is something that each skin type needs (no matter whether it is dry or oily skin). 

When you deprive your skin of moisturizer because you have oily skin, what ends up happening is that your skin goes into sebum overdrive. Sebum glands are your natural oil glands present on your face. Now, if your skin is lacking moisture, it is but natural that your body would try to make it by itself. With the added stickiness to already oily skin, it is so easy to have acne-causing bacteria get trapped in your pores. 

This is why moisturizer for oily skin is so important. But you have to get it right because moisturizers that are too thick can, again, clog oily skin. So, it is better to use face gels for those with oily skin as it provides the moisturization necessary and additionally does not create that sticky film over the skin either. 

The DermDoc 2% Salicylic Acid Anti Acne Face Gel is perfect for those with oily, acne-prone skin as it provides moisture and offers salicylic acid treatment, which will calm already-existing acne as well as prevent future breakouts in the long-run. 

This is more important during humid weather as your skin will be oilier than usual and your natural oils will be a great palette for bacteria to mix and breed. Trust us, you don’t want that. 

Why Salicylic Acid is a miracle worker

You may think that salicylic acid is yet another overhyped skincare ingredient that’s doing its rounds on social media. And while yes, it is popular at the moment, that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. 

This is an ingredient derived from willow bark, used for pain relief since Hippocrates’ time. From this willow bark we derive this wonder acid. But here’s the beauty of it– once it is applied to the skin topically, it helps with exfoliation, peeling, and swelling. And it’s much, much gentler than other, harsher chemicals used for exfoliation like alpha-hydroxy acids. 

Exfoliation is necessary for those with acne-prone skin as it speeds up the rate of skin cell renewal. Dead skin cells are removed at a much faster rate, which allows your skin to heal faster as well as get rid of damage like surface-level acne and scarring at a quicker rate. 

This quicker renewal helps your skin stay looking youthful and fresh, and it also helps your acne heal faster! And the best part is that it overall makes your acne healing journey faster. 

One major thing to expect when just beginning to use salicylic acid is something called purging. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds! 

Purging is something that happens whenever you begin to use a new skincare ingredient in your routine that increases the rate of skin renewal. As your old, dead skin as well as the damaged skin at the top of your epidermis begins to shed, the skin right below that is also damaged or has latent acne waiting to erupt emerges. 

This means that after a couple of weeks of using a new product with new ingredients, you are likely to face a few days of breaking out. But don’t panic, this just means the acid is working. The purge ought to go away in a few days. 

Purplle recommends the brand DermDoc for those with oily skin as well as acne-prone, sensitive skin. This is because the brand is an ingredients-first, skin-focused product-driven company wherein each product is formulated by expert dermatologists instead of riding on a wave of trends. Their salicylic-acid based products are something that are a must try for all skincare enthusiasts. 

But don’t take our word for it– you can check out a DermDoc review or two! 

 

Hopefully this article helped you understand how to treat your oily skin during humid times. Stay healthy, happy and glowing!