Beyond Slacking on SPF – Little Known Summer Skin Sins

By now, regular SPF use should be drilled into your summer skincare routine.  We know nothing will age skin faster than a sunburn. But beyond not scorching skin or skimping on sun protection, what other less known factors may be damaging skin this summer?

Bruce Katz, MD, Director of Juva Skin & Laser Center in Manhattan identifies some other sneaky summer skin sins:

• Citrus Skin Damage – Whether it is a frozen margarita or a wedge of lime in your Corona, nothing says summer like a splash of citrus.  Be careful not to spill it on skin! Lime juice becomes toxic when exposed to sun and can react with skin, potentially causing (dark blisters on skin (berloque dermatitis).
• Retinol Use - Retin A and Retinol make your skin more susceptible to sunburn, so if you continue use through the summer months, you MUST be diligent about sunscreen application to prevent burning. For people who are very sporty or sweat a lot, it's probably better to hold off on prescription strength retinoids until fall when it gets cooler.  Why risk sweating off your SPF? Alternatively, you can use a low percentage retinol that won't make you sun sensitive.
• Insect Repellant Irritation - Don't put insect repellent right on skin. Instead apply repellant to clothes to avoid skin irritation. Beware of applying a concentration of 20% DEET or higher directly to skin as it can fry it.