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Picture this: It’s the first day of true hot and sunny summer, and your skin is a mess—red, blotchy, oily, and irritated. What is going on? Adjusting to feeling sticky and sweaty and wrangling your AC unit into the window is hard enough. Now you have to deal with skin stress too?
Seasonal skin changes are not all in your head. Transitioning from cold to hot weather or hot to cold—can contribute to skin-related ups and downs. This is due to changes that occur at a deep biological level, says Ava Shamban, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in the Los Angeles area. Everything from DNA repair and collagen synthesis to antioxidant defenses can be affected by weather swings, she explains.
Ahead, dermatologists share all the details about why your skin may become more reactive when the weather turns and what to do about it.
Why do seasonal changes throw my skin for a loop?
Variations in your environment can significantly impact the health of your skin, says Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Humidity changes, extreme temperature shifts, and increased sun exposure “can all disrupt the balance of the skin,” she explains. “These fluctuations impact the skin barrier, making it more vulnerable to dryness, irritation, and breakouts.”
Think about how you feel during Daylight Saving Time, with its darker mornings and longer days. It’s disorienting at first, and you feel more tired, right? Your skin also goes through challenges when winter melts into spring, or the first frost makes its debut, and you’ve got to give it time to adapt.
Common skin changes in the warmer months
If you suffer from allergies, you’re deeply aware that pollen can be a major trigger for sniffles and sneezing. But did you know it can also cause allergic dermatitis in some people? This may look like red spots or an itchy rash; an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or antihistamine can help calm and soothe skin.
If your condition doesn’t improve, it’s time to see a dermatologist or allergist. They can help you get to the bottom of what’s going on and suggest advanced treatments or alternative meds. Dr. Engelman notes that some of her patients experience rosacea flares during allergy season, which can result in redness, swelling, and inflammation.
Spring in general can be a real whirlwind for your skin, given its “in like a lion, out like a lamb” tempestuousness. “We see humidity and temperature spiking high and dipping low, sometimes varying week to week, if not day to day,” Dr. Shamban says. “This prevents us from properly adjusting and calibrating skin functions and cellular protections. When seasonal weather changes are ‘frenetic,’ without any time to adjust, the skin can react very unfavorably.” Even when weather shifts are less dramatic, the skin barrier still goes through changes like loss of moisture in the winter and increased sebum production in the summer that can compromise this protective outer layer, she notes.
When the barrier is impaired—due to seasonal changes or even other things like harsh chemicals or overexfoliation—the skin may also become more reactive to certain products, even those it has tolerated for years, says Kseniya Kobets, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care. For this reason, she often transitions her more sensitive patients from chemical sunscreens to zinc oxide or titanium dioxide formulas during the warmer months. (Chemical sunscreens can be irritating to some sensitive skin types because they absorb UV rays and convert them into heat within the skin.)
Just a few months after springtime weather swings, summer hits its peak and you’re sweating. You’re stripping off layers. Your thighs are chafing. Oh, and thanks to the heat and humidity, sebum and sweat production can also increase, potentially leading to clogged pores and breakouts, Dr. Shamban notes. And it’s not always on your face—many people experience more body acne and general skin irritation in the summer as sweat gets trapped under clothes. “Sweat itself isn’t always the problem. It’s sweat sitting on already irritated skin, combined with friction, heat, bacteria, and a weakened skin barrier, that often triggers the inflammation,” explains Dr. Kobets, who likes incorporating hypochlorous acid sprays into her skincare routine during the summer to help. “They’re one of the few products that can calm inflammation, reduce acne-causing bacteria, and refresh the skin without aggressively stripping the barrier,” she shares.
People with rosacea can run into challenges during the summer, too, since anything that raises body temperature is a potential trigger for a flare-up. Abrupt temperature swings—like stepping from ice-cold AC into a 90-degree day—can be especially aggravating, as they can cause blood vessels to dilate, which may, in turn, trigger redness, flushing, or swelling in people with this skin condition.
Common skin changes in the cooler months
Sure, the heat has chilled out, literally and figuratively, but cold, dry weather can be just as stressful for your skin. Even if you live in a more temperate climate, cooler temperatures and accompanying factors like dry air and low humidity can trigger eczema, cause psoriasis flares, and just generally irritate the skin, Dr. Shamban says.
Redness and increased sensitivity are other hallmarks of the fall-to-winter shift. If you’ve ever dealt with dry, cracked hands, split skin in the middle of February, or increased redness when the temp dips below zero, you know exactly what we mean. Again, colder temperatures are a possible trigger for rosacea as well, especially if you’re out in the winter wind or warming up with a lot of hot drinks, which can be irritating to rosacea-prone skin.
Skin care tips for seasonal changes
You swap your wardrobe out from summer to fall and winter to spring—should you do the same with your skin care? Definitely! Everyone’s skin is different, of course, but a few strategic shifts can help you handle seasonal changes. “Be proactive and give the skin what it needs when it needs it during this very sensitive time to restore synchronicity, balance, and function,” Dr. Shamban says.
In the hotter months consider swapping heavier creams and moisturizers for lightweight oil-free or gel formulas, especially if your skin is oily or acne-prone, Dr. Engelman suggests. “Additionally, pairing your morning routine with [antioxidants like vitamin C] can help prevent damage from free radicals,” she says. (UVA/UVB rays, which are particularly intense in the warmer months, can trigger free radical production, for example.) If you use retinol, be cautious about the increased sun sensitivity that can come with it; Dr. Engelman recommends either taking a break during the summer months or increasing your sun protection—think: diligent sunscreen use, a higher SPF level, and protective accessories like hats and sunglasses.
When it’s cold and dry outside, slather your skin with thicker cream formulas to lock in the moisture that winter’s chill can zap away. “Shift toward richer, cream-based moisturizers to combat loss of hydration due to lower ambient humidity,” Dr. Engelman suggests. “Ingredients like hyaluronic acid work best when paired with barrier-repairing components such as ceramides to help seal in moisture.” If you’re reintroducing retinol during the colder months, balance it with creams rich in nourishing, hydrating ingredients to minimize dryness and irritation, she adds. For those with eczema, running a humidifier can help replenish moisture lost from the air. After all, when the skin cannot absorb moisture from its environment, it is prone to dryness and cracking—and this is especially true for those with eczema.
And one thing you should never skip, whether it’s January or June, no matter your skin type, is sunscreen—preferably SPF 30 or above, says Dr. Engelman. Make sure to slather some on every single day.
How to calm a seasonal skin freak-out
If your skin is red, dry, or inflamed, Dr. Engelman recommends calming things down with a soothing mask. “Masks are an effective option because they infuse the skin with hydration and nutrients while keeping the surface of the skin saturated, allowing [it] to replenish and fully absorb the ingredients in a short period of time,” she says. Look for products with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides, aloe, and niacinamide, she suggests.
For breakouts try ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in your cleanser, which reduce acne-causing bacteria and unclog pores, respectively. Dr. Engelman recommends using your formula of choice in the shower and leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing to clear follicles and reduce inflammation. “Follow with a lightweight, noncomedogenic moisturizer that will help to calm redness without clogging the pores,” she says. (Dr. Engelman loves Nulastin’s Dermal Rejuvenating Moisturizer, which she says “helps calm reactivity while fortifying the skin barrier” and provides all-day hydration.)
Finally, Dr. Engelman says you can cool down any hot-and-heavy pimples with an ice roller, which reduces swelling and inflammation and feels good on stressed-out skin, no matter the season.
