Is it possible to protect myself from the sun this summer while still keeping my acne under control?

ANSWER:

Sunscreens are hardly the only cause of acne in the hot months (breakouts are caused by bacteria, which are more prevalent in the summer), but lots of suntan lotions aggravate acne because they’re oily. But that doesn’t mean you should skip the sunscreen -- or that you need to settle for pimply UV protection.

There are other options for keeping skin clear and safe from the sun’s harmful rays this summer, such as facial cleansers that include a mild sunscreen. They’re not great for more than thirty minutes in the sun but work for everyday exposure.

Or you can also wash your face with an acne-preventing cleanser and follow that with a regular sunscreen -- and no, it doesn’t have to be a special one for faces. If normal sunscreens do tend to break you out, look for one with zinc oxide, for sensitive skin.

Whatever brand or type you use, don’t forget to wash your face before you go to bed -- you don’t want the sunscreen on your face overnight, since that could really aggravate  your condition.

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