Have you ever noticed that you get more acne breakouts during spring and summer? It’s not just you. There is something like spring acne. Seasonal changes in temperature, humidity, pollution and other aspects affect our skin health. 

Spring and summer, in particular, can be brutal on your skin. Here’s why spring brings with it more acne plus some tips on how to protect your skin. 

Causes of Springtime Acne

Spring acne is caused by a combination of factors.

• More sweating. As temperatures rise, you’ll sweat more even if you are not active. Sweat can combine with dirt, oils and bacteria to clog skin pores and cause an acne breakout. 
• Springtime is great because we can finally exercise outdoors again. But with more workouts, we sweat more and encounter dust and other pollutants. These can clog your skin and lead to acne. 
• Spring also brings with it higher humidity levels. Humid air causes the skin to produce more oil, which can cause clogging on some people. Too much moisture in the air also causes more bacteria on your skin, which also increases the risk of a breakout. 
• Most of us become more outgoing in spring, with lots of social activities on our calendars. That means many people use more makeup and skincare products. If you are not careful about which products you use and cleaning them off your skin as soon as you get home, you could get acne.  

How to Protect Yourself from Spring (and Summer) Acne

Skincare Routine

You don't need to do anything special to prevent springtime acne. Just your regular skin care routine will do. You just need to be strict with it. 

Exfoliate your skin regularly to prevent dead skin cells from building up and clogging your pores. It is also important to exfoliate your skin daily, up to two times a day. Use cleansers containing salicylic or glycolic acid. 

In addition to cleansing oils, dirt and bacteria off the skin, cleansers encourage skin cell turnover, resulting in smoother skin. 

Moisturizing is another crucial daily habit. Keeping your skin well hydrated reduces how much sebum is produced, which keeps your pores from clogging. Be sure to use a non-comedogenic moisturizer if you have oily skin. 

Something we did not mention above is that increased UV exposure in spring can also trigger acne. It causes excessive inflammation on the skin, which can lead to a breakout. So applying sunscreen is important in preventing spring acne. 

Watch What You Wear

Spring acne doesn't just occur on the face. It can also occur on other areas of your body such as your back. 

Back acne typically occurs when sweat gets trapped under your clothing. Combine it with friction from clothes or a backpack and you are at a high risk of a breakout. 

Wearing breathable and moisture-wicking clothes can prevent back acne. Make that whatever you wear is also soft and gentle on your skin to reduce friction. 

The HercShirt from Hercleon is an excellent pick especially for outdoor activities like hiking and backpacking.  It’s made with a bacteria-fighting fabric that keeps the shirt odor-free and prevents acne breakouts. 

Check Your Bed, Too 

Another place you can get acne from is your bed. It makes sense — you spend 7-9 hours (hopefully) there each night.

The cleanliness and hygiene of your bedding affects the health of your skin. If your sheets are dirty, they’ll transfer dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells and oils onto your skin and clog your pores. Bedding that makes you sweat too much can also be bad for your skin.

The first step is to make sure you are changing your sheets at least once a week, especially during spring. Change your pillowcase twice a week as your face is more sensitive. 

If you often find yourself getting hot and clammy at night, you probably need more breathable sheets or duvet. 

You can get the  Hercleon Jax Sheets. In addition to being soft, breathable and sweat-wicking, they actively kill acne and odor causing bacteria. 

Final Thoughts

You’ll need to be even more diligent about looking after your skin as spring rolls into summer. It will get hotter, you will sweat more, humidity will go up and you’ll be exposed to more UV.