Does Sunlight Help or Hurt Acne?

Sun exposure helps people with some types of acne and makes it worse for others.  One way that it sometimes helps others is by reducing oiliness, which often reduces breakouts. A tan may act as a temporary acne scar removal treatment by hiding certain types of scars. In addition, most people moisturize after sun exposure, which reduces inflammation and subsequent breakouts.

There are many variables that dictate whether sunlight helps or hurts acne; the range includes sunscreens, skin types, severity of scarring, and types of acne treatments and acne scar removal treatments.

Sunscreen   

Sunscreen is a bit of a quandary. In some instances, it helps clear up acne, and in others it is like applying napalm to your skin. One of the factors that helps is the ingredient zinc oxide. This sun blocker also treats acne. Factors that make it harmful are fillers such as fragrances and poor quality oils. These ingredients can clog pores and cause irritation, both of which lead to breakouts.  A quality sunscreen that is non-comedogenic and designed for the face will cause fewer problems.

Types of Treatments

Certain types of topical and orally consumed treatments increase photosensitivity. Typically, oral antibiotics, retinol-based topicals, and any treatment involving clindamycin make skin more prone to sunburn. The effect of a sunburn? Irritation, which again, leads to more breakouts.

Severity of Scarring

In an earlier article, we discussed different kinds of acne scars. Suntans are effective at skin color change acne scars. People who suffer from raised and depressed acne scars may find tans make scarring more pronounced. It is advisable to use a quality sunscreen, and an effective acne scar removal treatment for severe scarring instead of relying on sun exposure.

Sun is especially bad for people who suffer from rosacea, as it inflames the conditions and increases redness. The time you spend in the sun also has an impact, with shorter exposures being better for the skin than long exposure. UV index, a measure of how powerful the sun is, also affects the impact of sun exposure on acne. Days with a high UV index may cause more irritation and subsequent breakouts than days with a low UV index.  Whether the sun helps your skin or not is something you will have to explore on your own. Until you know, limit your exposure and use a quality sunscreen.