What Causes Seasonal Acne Changes
Acne often changes with the seasons because weather, habits, and environment affect how your skin produces oil, stays moist, and fights bacteria. In winter, it tends to get worse for many people, while summer can bring its own issues.
Winter is a tough time for skin. Cold air outside and dry heat from indoor heaters pull moisture away from your face. Your skin reacts by making extra oil to stay protected. This oil mixes with dead skin cells and clogs pores, leading to pimples on the cheeks, jaw, and forehead. Low humidity weakens the skin’s outer layer, letting bacteria sneak in easier and causing more redness and swelling.
Other winter factors pile on. People switch to thick creams that block pores instead of helping. Overwashing with harsh soaps strips natural oils, making skin even drier and oilier underneath. Hot showers dehydrate the face, and skipping sunscreen because the sun feels weaker leaves skin unprotected. Stress from holidays raises cortisol levels, a hormone that sparks breakouts. Cozy scarves rub against the skin, trapping sweat and dirt, especially around the jawline. Less sunlight might weaken your skin’s defenses against acne bacteria too. Even touching your face after using heavy hand lotions transfers oils that clog things up.
Summer flips the script but still causes trouble. Heat and humidity make pores open wider and boost oil production. Sweat mixes with dirt and bacteria, creating perfect clogged-pore conditions if you do not cleanse right after. Heavy sunscreens or makeup in humid air block everything. Swimming in pools adds chlorine that irritates, and too much sun thickens the skin’s surface, trapping oil deeper for cysts later. On the bright side, sweating can flush out dirt and warmer weather speeds up skin renewal, sometimes making acne look better short-term. But for most, the extra oil and sweat win out.
Habits shift with seasons too. In winter, comfort foods high in sugar and dairy spike breakouts. Summer brings more sugary treats and dehydration from heat. Year-round, inconsistent routines like skipping cleansers or piling on products make seasonal swings hit harder.
These changes show acne ties closely to how seasons mess with your skin’s balance. Dryness in cold months and oil overload in heat both lead to more breakouts unless you adjust.
Sources
https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/why-acne-gets-worse-in-winter-and-how-to-stop-it-221929-1.htm
https://www.coastalbeautyaesthetics.com/ultimate-guide-to-preventing-winter-breakouts-medspa-acne-solutions
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/unseen-causes-of-winter-breakouts
https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/fashion/winter-breakouts-are-real-a-dermatologist-shares-reasons-and-tips-to-treat-winter-acne-101767161500731-amp.html
https://londondermatologyclinics.com/does-acne-get-better-in-the-summer-months/
https://slmdskincare.com/blogs/learn/5-reasons-your-skin-is-breaking-out-in-winter-and-what-to-do-about-it
https://www.drbatras.com/can-summer-and-heat-cause-acne-breakouts
https://columbiaskinmd.com/combatting-winter-acnetips-from-medical-aesthetic-dermatology/
