How Does Sunlight Affect Acne?

Getting out in the sun during the summer months to treat your acne may sound like good advice. That's because UV rays and heat accelerate moisture loss and dry out the skin. As a result, it is less oily, has less sebum on the surface and pores do not clog as quickly. When the skin tans, it also thickens to better protect itself from UV rays. In other words, it builds a protective barrier against the sun. Since the skin surface is thicker and more pigmented, red spots and blemishes are less visible.

Although these effects have been proven for a short-term period, it has also been proven that the UV rays of the sun, in the medium to long term, promote acne.

The drying effect of the sun on acne pimples is only temporary. The same is true for the effect on the sebaceous glands, which are responsible for the production of sebum. At the beginning of summer, sunbathing can make the skin look beautiful. However, after the drying phase, the skin system readjusts to reactive hyperseborrhea. The sebaceous glands produce a vast amount of sebum that tries to reach the surface of the skin. Since the skin is thick, the hair follicles become clogged and sebum accumulates in the openings. This sebum accumulation also promotes the growth of bacteria that cause acne.

In addition, the UV rays also damage the skin cells, causing slight redness or even a more or less painful sunburn. If you then take into account an increased risk of skin cancer, deeper wrinkles and other negative effects, you should generally avoid too much sun, even if you only want to alleviate your acne for a few days!

When you expose the scars left by acne pimples to the sun, the post-inflammatory marks tend to tan more. This is because the area where the acne pimple was located has an altered surface that produces more melanin. This overproduction is set in motion to protect the skin from UV rays. This makes stubborn brown spots on the surface even more visible.