Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Aug 17, 2026

How to protect your skin in the heat

How to protect your skin in the heat

As temperatures are set to reach as high as 35C across parts of England and Wales this weekend, dermatologists have issued a warning to people about skin conditions caused or aggravated by the heat.

Dermatologist Adeline Kikam told the BBC "extreme or high temperatures can have adverse impact on skin".

She says several skin conditions can develop, or worsen, during persistently high temperatures.

These include:

*  heat rash

*  sunburn

*  aggravated eczema (dry, irritated skin)

*  chafing

*  increased breakouts and spots

Heat rashes, tiny bumps or blisters in the skin, happen when there is an obstruction in the sweat ducts and inflammation.

They are more common during the summer because they are triggered by heat and humidity.

Dr Kikam says high temperatures can also worsen or aggravate eczema.

High temperatures lead to increased sweating, which in turn can make the skin even drier and the salt residue from the sweat can cause inflammation in the skin. This combination leads to redness, and general discomfort.

Spots and breakouts are common during high temperatures because there is an excess secretion of oil from our sebaceous glands. This combined with sweating and products like make-up can clog pores and trap dirt in the skin.

Sunburn is the result of long exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

If you have darker skin, and therefore more melanin, your body has a base protective layer to UV radiation and it might take longer to notice the symptoms of sunburn (redness and blisters).

"Damage to the skin is just not as visible, but you're still getting the damage," Dr Kikam says.

Dr Adeline Kikam warns conditions can develop, or worsen, during high temperatures


For those suffering from heat rashes, Dr Kikam says patients should remove themselves from hot and humid environments when possible and ensure they have access to good ventilation, by using fans and air conditioner - and keep the affected area of the skin dry.

The same goes for chafing - rubbing on the skin from clothing or other surfaces. Wearing loose clothing, ensuring your skin is dry and avoiding friction are the best ways to avoid it, says Dr Kikam.

For those suffering from aggravated eczema, it is important to keep your skin moisturised with neutral lotions, she adds.

For sunburns, Dr Kikam says everyone should ensure they are wearing sunscreen to protect themselves from exposure to UV radiation and avoid direct sun exposure for long periods of time.

She adds regularly cleansing your skin ensures you can minimise your risk of having breakouts, as you are avoiding product build up and keeping your pores unclogged.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes
Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy
Turkish Parliament Passes Landmark Bill Granting Conditional Amnesty to Disarmed PKK Members
Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s Father and Longtime Agent, Dies at 68
AI’s Next Bottleneck Is Power, Not Just Nvidia Chips
Meta Raises AI Spending Target to as Much as $145bn Despite Pressure Over Returns
Joe Biden’s Cancer Has Spread Beyond His Bones, Hunter Biden Says
Why 2027 Could Be a Strong Year for Stocks—and Why the Forecast Is Fragile
Why Markets May Look Quiet in August After Big Tech Earnings
Trump’s Top General Seeks an Exit Strategy From Iran War, Report Says
Brock Lesnar Retires From Wrestling, Closing a Career of Rare Athletic Range and Lasting Controversy
UFO: Pentagon Releases Video of Unidentified Object Tracked Over Middle East
Ukraine Tells Senate Republicans Its Drone War Offers a Blueprint for America
Weight-Loss Drug Boom Tests the Limits of Prescription Advertising Rules
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Sign Mutual-Defence Pact
AI Is Remaking the US Economy, From GDP Growth to iPhone Prices
A SpaceX Rocket Is About to Crash Into the Moon — and Scientists Hope to Watch
Modern Slavery Decisions Broaden the Al Fayed Inquiry’s Frame
FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight
Arrest Warrant Issued in Lebanon for Tycoon Spotted Meeting Netanyahu in Washington
Trump says Israel ‘would not survive’ without US
Nvidia Reportedly Takes Vast Texas Data-Centre Lease to Underwrite AI Expansion
FIFA’s Private-Investment Plan for World Cup Rights Draws European Revolt
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
OpenAI Sued After ChatGPT Allegedly Discouraged Emergency Care Before Near-Fatal Embolism
Miliband Sets Climate and International Law at Centre of UK Diplomacy
Pentagon Discloses Nearly 100 US Troop Injuries During Renewed Iran Fighting
Trump Readies New Tariffs as Temporary Global Levy Nears Expiry
High Prices Push Coffee Drinkers Toward Whole Beans and Home Brewing
Trump Draws Boos and Podium Scrutiny at Spain’s World Cup Triumph
Spain Defeats Argentina in Extra Time to Win Second World Cup
Turkey Explores S-400 Transfer to UAE in Bid to Rejoin F-35 Program
US Retaliates Against Iran After Two American Troops Killed in Jordan
Proposed U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Pact Could Permit Limited Uranium Enrichment Under International Safeguards
Why Kentucky Fried Chicken Became KFC—and Why the False Explanations Persist
Iran Claims It Destroyed Bahrain’s Main Artificial Intelligence Center in Missile and Drone Strike
Ukrainian Drones Strike Wildberries Warehouses Deep Inside Russia
Reported CIA Mission Helped Clear the UAE’s Path to Advanced US AI Chips
Artificial Intelligence Capital Fuels Markets While Governments and Regulators Face Mounting Strategic Tests
China’s Moonshot’s Kimi K3 Narrows the Gap With Anthropic Through Scale, Openness and Lower Cost
Gold and Cash Seizure Puts Indonesia’s Senior Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Under Investigation
The Ledger Will Not Trust on Faith
Passenger Bound for Germany Refused to Sit Beside a Woman on a Plane — Then Slapped a Flight Attendant
Ukraine’s Leadership Rift Spills Into the Streets as Protesters Target Army Chief
The Ten World Cup Finals That Defined Football History
Smartphones Are Getting More Expensive, Sales Are Collapsing, and Even Apple Admits: "Prices Will Rise"
×