Acne often flares up during seasonal changes because shifts in temperature, humidity, and daily habits disrupt your skin’s natural balance, leading to more oil production, clogged pores, and inflammation. Your skin is like a protective shield that reacts to its surroundings, and when the weather switches suddenly, it struggles to keep up.
In summer, heat and higher humidity make your skin sweat more, mixing sweat with natural oils to trap dirt and bacteria inside pores. This creates a perfect spot for acne to grow. Sunscreen helps protect from sun damage but can worsen things if it’s the wrong kind, one that blocks pores instead of letting skin breathe.[1][7]
Winter brings the opposite problem with cold, dry air that pulls moisture right out of your skin. Indoor heaters make it even worse by drying the air further. In response, your skin pumps out extra oil to stay hydrated, but that oil gets trapped under the dry surface, clogging pores and sparking breakouts.[2][3][5][6]
Transitions between seasons hit hardest, like fall to winter or spring to summer. Humidity drops fast, temperatures swing from hot indoors to cold outside, and your skin’s barrier weakens. This barrier is made of natural oils and moisture keepers that block germs and hold in hydration. When it breaks down, bacteria sneak in easier, inflammation rises, and pimples pop up.[4]
Lifestyle shifts add fuel to the fire. Hot showers in winter strip oils, heavy lotions clog things up, and hats or scarves trap sweat and dirt. Summer means more outdoor time with sweat from sports or helmets doing the same. Holidays bring stress, junk food, less sleep, and travel, all of which crank up hormones that trigger oil and redness.[1][5][6][8]
Even small things like lower water drinking in cold months or changing products without thinking can tip the scales. Your skin needs time to adjust, but rapid weather flips speed up water loss and mess with its pH balance, making it prone to irritation.[3][4]
Sources:
https://www.deblieckdermatology.com/blog/1397079-seasonal-acne-why-breakouts-change-throughout-the-year/
https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/why-acne-gets-worse-in-winter-and-how-to-stop-it-221929-1.htm
https://www.oreateai.com/blog/breaking-out-during-winter/f1746a23c69da0534bc6b83c501b00fb
https://skinsureclinic.com/why-your-skin-acts-up-during-season-change/
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/unseen-causes-of-winter-breakouts
https://www.coastalbeautyaesthetics.com/ultimate-guide-to-preventing-winter-breakouts-medspa-acne-solutions
https://londondermatologyclinics.com/does-acne-get-better-in-the-summer-months/
https://banuskin.com/blogs/zit-happens-banu-blog/travel-season-is-the-worst-for-acne-heres-what-actually-helps
