Enjoy The Outdoors While Avoiding Common Skin Irritants

The weather is starting to change throughout a lot of the country, and that means one thing: spring and summer and right around the corner! Can you feel it in the air? We sure can. After the long, gloomy winter months, most of us are itching to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors. But if you have skin irritations it can be difficult to really embrace the seasonal change. We want to share some of the ways you can enjoy the outdoors while avoiding common skin irritants – so you can enjoy the weather transition and not have to worry about your skin.

Protect Yourself from the Sun

As the temperatures rise, we’re all much more likely to begin spending more time outside. It’s one of the best parts about the warmer winter months, after all! However, the advent of spring and summer also means that the sun is going to become more intense. If you’re like many people, your skin can become irritated from the stronger sunshine. The best way to make sure that you’re able to enjoy the outdoor warmer weather but not get any irritation on your skin, is to make sure that you’re not leaving the house without applying SPF. This is a habit you should practice regardless of the season, but it’s going to be crucial this time of year. In addition, try to avoid direct sunshine during peak hours, between 10am and 4pm, to keep your skin happy and reduce the risk of skin irritation.

Cover Exposed Skin

Excited to spend some time outdoors? If you plan on being in a garden, or around plants doing any time of yard work (or even if you’re just going out on a walk) your skin is going to be at a higher risk for skin irritation. But, that shouldn’t scare you or keep you inside. Experts suggest that keeping your skin covered is the best way to enjoy these outdoor activities and avoid the skin irritation that may be triggered by Mother Nature. Often times people don’t realize that their skin is going to become irritated from certain plants or trees; wearing gloves and long sleeves (among other things) can be a great way to keep your skin better covered and avoid skin irritation. In addition, if you touch any certain plants or trees outside it’s important to make sure that you don’t touch your face before washing your hands. Make it a habit to wash your hands and skin anywhere that you’ve touched plants or trees to keep your skin from getting irritated.

Shower and Change Strategically

As we begin to spend more time outdoors, our skin can be exposed to a lot of common skin irritants.  Experts suggest that one of the best habits to get into is to make sure that you’re showering anytime you feel that your skin has been exposed to a particular skin irritant. Say, for example, you enjoyed a nice swim in a pool, so there’ll a chance of skin irritation because your skin has been exposed to the chlorine in the swimming pool. Give your skin a break by hopping in a quick shower after you swim. The same thing applies if you work out outdoors, or carry out any other outdoor activity.