London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jan 07, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
UK and France Pledge Military Hubs Across Ukraine in Post-Ceasefire Security Plan
Prince Harry Poised to Regain UK Security Cover, Clearing Way for Family Visits
UK Junk Food Advertising Ban Faces Major Loophole Allowing Brand-Only Promotions
Maduro’s Arrest Without The Hague Tests International Law—and Trump’s Willingness to Break It
German Intelligence Secretly Intercepted Obama’s Air Force One Communications
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
Fake Mainstream Media Double Standard: Elon Musk Versus Mamdani
HSBC Leads 2026 Mortgage Rate Cuts as UK Lending Costs Ease
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Outlines How Operation Absolute Resolve Was Carried Out in Venezuela
Starmer Welcomes End of Maduro Era While Stressing International Law and UK Non-Involvement
Korean Beauty Turns Viral Skincare Into a Global Export Engine
UK Confirms Non-Involvement in U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela
UK Terror Watchdog Calls for Australian-Style Social Media Ban to Protect Teenagers
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
×