CLEVELAND — Sunny days may feel good on your skin, but they can also create plenty of skin issues. Dr. Rachel Mistur, a board-certified dermatologist, and Medical Director of The Skin Center in Shaker Heights, says there are some simple solutions anyone can try.
First up? Makeup meltdowns.
As 3News Style Contributor Hallie Abrams, The Wardrobe Consultant, describes it, even though you may start the day with a full face of makeup, it doesn't last long in the heat.
"By midday it's like my face is eating the makeup... or it's melting and it's getting in the creases," she said with a laugh.
Dr. Mistur told Hallie, a good primer is a great place to start.
"A fan favorite is Benefit Cosmetics PoreFessional Face Primer.... it's a great option and it runs about $34 and you can find it at your local makeup stores," Dr. Mistur said. "[Primers] essentially largely sit on top of the skin to provide sort of a smoother canvas so that your makeup is less likely to settle into those creases."
But if you're ready to take things to the next level, Dr. Mistur says Botox treatments will also help your makeup stay in place.
"Botox works by sort of relaxing the muscles of facial expression, which are really what create a lot of those lines that our makeup likes to settle into. So we're talking about forehead lines, the lines around the eyes, and between the eyebrows," she said. "For those patients who really like to wear makeup, they find that it applies much smoother and doesn't settle into those creases."
Another big summer skin problem? Dry, deflated lips. Dr. Mistur says there are great drugstore buys to address this issue as well.
"The first is an SPF lip balm. UV light is one of the major causes of premature aging of the lips. So [those SPF balms] also help for prevention of skin cancer. And then hydration is so important... my favorites are really plain Vaseline and Aquaphor."
But if you want to step up your treatments even further, Dr. Mistur says lip fillers have come a long way.
"Lip filler is made of hyaluronic acid, which is a humectant that essentially means that it retains water," she explained. "Not only does it replace volume, but also brings hydration. It smooths out the skin, but in a way that is very comfortable and natural looking."
When it comes to getting that summer glow, Dr. Mistur is a big fan of using self-tanner over sitting in the sun, but all too often, application can result in streaky color.
"One option that you could do at home would be a gentle exfoliator that you pick up at the drug store," she told Hallie. "You use a little bit of this with warm water and essentially gently rub it into the skin and it sort of gets lit rid of that layer of dead skin."
But she warns it's important to not overdo the exfoliation.
"A couple times a week is really enough, and if you do too much, you can even get skin rashes from it. So keep it super gentle."
According to Dr. Mistur, a "Diamond Glow" facial treatment is another gentle option that delivers results.
"It actually also cleans out the pores. And then there's really the second step that you need for streak free glow, which is hydration of the skin," she explained. "If you're doing this at home, a nice application of moisturizer before applying yourself, tanner would work well too."
And finally, there are some solutions for when that dreaded stubble that inevitably starts to show.
"The more permanent fix for this is laser hair removal," Dr. Mistur explained. "Which essentially works by targeting pigment in the hair follicle to more permanently reduce the growth of body hair."
And the good news, she told Hallie, these days, treatments are nearly pain-free.
"Laser technology has come a long way. And with our device, which has two wavelengths of light to treat various skin tones, it really is safe...it is super fast. You can do an entire leg in five minutes..[and it's] minimally painful, incredibly tolerable."
Dr. Mistur told Hallie there really aren't any comparable alternatives to laser hair removal, but cautioned against buying any hair removal devices online.
"These can be dangerous in ways, so definitely leave it to the experts," she said.
When it comes to her number one summer skin tip, Dr. Mistur says, never forget your SPF.
"That is the biggest thing. 365 [days a year,] If you are leaving the house or sitting by a window, you need sunscreen on," she said. "You want to opt for a sunscreen that offers broad spectrum coverage, which means UVA and UVB coverage. You want to choose one that has an SPF or sun protection factor of at least 30 or higher. There are lots of different types of sunscreens, but really I tell people the best sunscreen is the one you will just put on every single day and just be super diligent about it."