Summertime beauty emergencies

• August 30, 2020

Help! My skin is overheating and my hair is falling out! What’s even worse, my nails are brittle. What’s going on?

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. What’s happening might be a midsummer emergency but it could also be the result of the collective trauma that we’ve been through.

Whether it’s the first or the latter, they are both deeply distressing on our bodies, resulting in exhaustion. This will undoubtedly affect our sleep, our eating, and therefore most probably our appearance.

We asked Dr. Costi for an emergency intervention.

As per our favorite dermatologist “The first thing to remember is that this is a phase, and that it will pass. So don’t panic”.

Ok. We won’t panic but we are unhappy with the result and it doesn’t help with the stress. “Sometimes our mental health is reflected in our physical health, and you may be suffering without knowing why” says Dr. Costi. “Hair loss and dull skin are also both the result of poor blood circulation, which can itself be the result of many things especially with the summer heat.”

So what can we do?

Skin emergency

For sensitive skin, hot weather increases water loss from the body, leading to dehydration, irritation and dryness. Let’s not forget the sun and the air conditioning, which lead to even more dry skin.

Make sure to hydrate your skin: keep a micellar water mist in your bag and spritz it all day long to give a hydrating boost. If you’re overheating, seek shade quickly and let an ice cube slowly melt in your mouth. The cooling effect will sooth your skin as well as constrict your blood vessels.

It’s even worse for normal to oily skin, where summer tends to mean more sweat and more oil. When dead skin cells mix with this excess oil and sweat, hello acne and breakouts. 

So keep your makeup to a minimum. A good trick for the summer months is to mix your foundation with your moisturizer, to achieve a very light coverage that breathes without blocking your pores.

Of course don’t forget to keep your water levels topped up! If you’re someone who always forgets to hydrate, you can download an app to help you remember when to drink (Water drink reminder).

You also need to deep cleanse with a face mask at least once a week, to wash away dead skin cells and pollution that increase irritation. And if you keep your mask in the fridge, it will be extra soothing!

Oh yeah, and of course, SUNSCREEN. Lips, ears, hands and neck…don’t forget.

Hair emergency

If you feel your hair falling out, it could be just a seasonal thing. Heat as well as heat styling have a dehydrating effect on your hair molecules, even affecting their growth. So while your hair is falling out at its usual rate, it is growing slower, leaving you with the impression that you’re losing more hair than usual.

Heat, sweating and stress also make hair frizzy and prone to breakage. Even hot water is not very recommended for your hair in summer (nor for your skin).

The best thing to do for soft hair is to keep your hair and scalp protected by regularly hydrating with a suitable oil. There are so many out there that you will surely find the perfect one for your hair type. We recommend using it either on dry or wet hair, before your shampoo. Also keep your shampoo as natural and hydrating as possible, shying away from any products that lather too much.

So keep it natural, stay out of the sun and let your hair air dry. That’s the best way to help it.

If you think you need an extra boost, or that you’re facing a hair apocalypse, please contact Dr. Costi for an appointment. He can easily recommend a natural hair supplement or a treatment.

Fingernail emergency

A common side of stress is brittle or peeling nails (we hope you’re not biting them). Brittle nails can also mean that your body is not getting all the nutrients it needs so just review your diet habits.

While it’s always best to consult your doctor, you can start by applying a restorative nail treatment. As there is not much we can do, unfortunately, the best thing to do is just pay extra attention to your hands and wait until the stress has passed… yes it’s easier said than done but: breathe in, breathe out…

It’s hot, and the world is going through exceptional events and unbelievable stress. We’re all in this together and we have to make it, whether we like it or not. However, we can still look beautiful.

And don’t forget what Dr. Costi says: Stay beautiful, stay you, let your inner light shine.