Chatter about the weather has long been synonymous with boring small talk. But in 2024, it’s almost impossible not to discuss it. As of November, we’ve had 18 named storms (seven tropical storms and 11 hurricanes) that brought severe flooding—the second costliest hurricane season on record. We’ve seen an increase in tropical cyclones forming in the ocean, drought conditions, and wildfires, and 2024 is set to outrank 2023 as the warmest year on record.
Scientists say the unseasonable warmth and extreme weather events are obvious evidence of climate change due to human activity, and without intervention, its devastating effects will continue. Those effects include the expected: floods, property damage, and injury, but experts are finding a few surprising consequences of climate change—including skin issues.
“Skin is our largest organ, and it’s the primary barrier between our bodies and the environment,” says Eva R. Parker, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt University, whose academic focus includes climate change and global health. “As such, there are a number of climate-sensitive skin diseases.” These include inflammatory conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Plus, experts say shifts in weather patterns and extreme events can also increase skin aging, pigmentation, and even skin cancer rates.
In 2018, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) responded to the threat of climate change by forming the Expert Resource Group for Climate Change and Environmental Affairs, a group of dermatologists that educate on the skin-associated risks due to climate change. “Climate change has been a topic on the agenda at national meetings; there are countless papers written on the it,” says Adam Friedman, MD, professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University in Washington, DC.
There’s no denying it; the threat to your skin is real.
Heating Up
At a casual glance, the numbers don’t seem so extreme. The global average surface temperature of Earth has risen by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the pre-industrial era (1850-1900). However, the rate at which the Earth’s surface has warmed has tripled per decade since 1982, according to the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2023 Annual Global Climate Report. The cause of the increased temps has been linked to human activity, primarily an increase in emissions, trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing a greenhouse-like effect. This increase in surface heat has led to seasonal temperature extremes, less snowfall, reduced sea ice, heavy rainfall, and changes that affect plants and animals.
So, how does your skin bear the brunt of this?
Skin plays a significant role in our ability to regulate body temperature, says Dr. Parker. “The way we cool our bodies is, in part, due to vasodilation, the opening of blood vessels in the skin that release heat,” she says. Skin also releases sweat, and as it evaporates, it cools our skin and bodies. “It’s like when you microwave something in a bag; it’s full of steam, and when you open the bag, all the steam comes out,” says Dr. Parker. Our skin is releasing internal heat. “Only now that we’re seeing heat waves and higher temperatures, it really can impact our ability to cool down, putting us more at risk for heat stress and heat stroke,” she says. It’s a double-whammy for women going through perimenopause and menopause. “We’re not able to regulate temperature and cool our bodies as effectively as when we’re younger, putting us at an even higher risk for heat stress,” she says.
Skin is our largest organ, and it’s the primary barrier between our bodies and the environment. As such, there are a number of climate-sensitive skin diseases.
This increased heat can get trapped in our skin, triggering several inflammatory issues. Acne can worsen with heat because increased sweat can lead to more clogged pores. “Sweat is an irritant,” says Dr. Friedman. It can increase heat rashes, particularly those in friction-prone areas like under the breasts, groin, and inner thighs, as well as yeast and bacterial conditions that can occur with perspiration buildup on the skin.
Heat has also been increasing the pollen load, as warm temperatures mean more pollination, which can lengthen allergy season. Eczema (and asthma) often run hand in hand with seasonal allergies, and all that pollen can aggravate the condition, says Maria Wei, MD, PhD, professor of dermatology at the University of California San Francisco, who studies the impact of climate change on skin. Chronic heat can also speed up skin aging. “It’s weakens the structural parts of the skin such as elastic tissue, so you get more wrinkling,” says Dr. Wei, adding that it can also trigger hyperpigmentation (or brown spots) in those prone to it.
Catching More Rays
Climate change may also mean we’re getting more ultraviolet rays (UV), primarily UVB, the type linked to sunburns and skin cancers. Of course, not all hot days are sunny days, but increased temperatures may mean we’re wearing less clothing and showing more skin, which leads to more exposure. And experts say there is another environmental factor causing more UVB to hit the earth’s surface: the depletion of the ozone layer. “The stratospheric ozone layer helps to block and filter UV rays,” says Dr. Parker.
Scientists first discovered the ozone depletion in 1985. “For many decades, we produced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were used in aerosols, refrigerants, and in manufacturing; they’re very long-lived in the atmosphere,” says Dr. Parker. “Not only do they act as greenhouse gases to trap heat, but they also interact with the ozone layer to destroy it.” CFCs were globally banned in 2010 and have been phased out in the US with a few exceptions, only recovery of our ozone layer isn’t expected to happen for another four decades. Experts say that methane, an alternative to CFCs that’s another greenhouse gas, has also been linked to ozone depletion, which may be slowing the recovery process.
Much of the data on skin cancer rates and climate change comes from animal studies and computer models, so proving a definitive link between the two has been a challenge, but a review authored by Dr. Parker in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology found enough circumstantial evidence to support the hypothesis that climate change, including ozone depletion, global warming, and air pollution (we’ll get to that) have likely contributed to the increase of skin cancer globally and can have a negative influence on rates for decades to come.
Increased UV rays not only lead to more sunburns and potential skin cancers but also pigmentation disorders such as melasma, a hormonal condition that causes brown patches on the skin with UV exposure. UV is also the main factor in a condition called solar urticaria, hives triggered by sun exposure—something Rosemary G. Dietrich, 45, has dealt with for the last decade and a half. Dietrich noticed that she would get itchy welts after she was outside, even for just a few minutes. “I would scratch so much I would bleed.”
Dietrich later learned (after a skin biopsy and a misdiagnosis of cutaneous lupus) that she has the rare allergic condition induced by UV exposure. As a mother of two young kids, Dietrich can’t always stay indoors, so she manages her itchy skin condition with a mix of oral antihistamines and careful sun protection. Only she’s noticed that it’s recently gotten worse. “I started having flare-ups again last year—super itchy, red blotches,” she says. “This past summer was a doozy; I had to pack anti-histamines anywhere I went,” she says.
Going to Extremes
It’s not just heat and sun’s rays that can wreak havoc on skin. “Extreme weather events such as flooding due to hurricanes and traumatic rainfall can lead to skin infections and rashes through contact with contaminated water,” says Dr. Wei. A review published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health states that effective health management needs to consider the likelihood and risks of toxic agents in flood waters contaminated by chemicals, bio-toxins, waste, sewage, and water-borne pathogens. Wading through murky waters can also increase chance of injury, which lets these pathogens and contaminants into your skin.
There’s also the emotional stress of dislocation from floods and hurricanes to consider. “Stress is intimately related to skin diseases and inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and several others.”
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On the other end of the spectrum, extreme dry conditions can trigger dry skin conditions. “The top layer of the skin needs a little water to function correctly,” says Dr. Freidman. “Dry indoor heat or outdoorwinds hitting your skin pulls off that moisture, making it rigid and cracked, allowing more water to get out and potentially irritating or harmful pathogenic things can get in,” he says. This dry, flaky, often itchy skin can exacerbate conditions like eczema.
Extreme dry conditions can also spark wildfires, which have been increasing in intensity, frequency, and destructiveness, says Dr. Wei, and can also affect skin. “My group has studied this, and we’ve shown that even with just a short exposure to climate-related air pollution generated by wildfires, eczema or atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne flare,” says Dr. Wei. People with eczema, she explains, have a faulty skin barrier that allows irritants and allergens into the skin, triggering an inflammatory reaction. “We’ve seen that people with eczema exposed to smoke from wildfires experience immediate flare that lasts for several weeks.” Her studies have showed that those with psoriasis and eczema had a delayed reaction, experiencing a flare five or six weeks after exposure that peaked around nine weeks, which suggests the skin reactions are an immune-related response to the air pollution, she says. (Dr. Wei completed a similar study on acne that’s been submitted for publication and shows much of the same results.)
Particulate matter, present in air pollution, is very sticky and microscopic, says Dr. Parker. The teeny particles can stick to other nasty things like polycyclic, aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals and then enter our skin. “This can have a number of impacts from compromising skin barrier to increasing pigment production, damaging cellular DNA, and increasing reactive oxygen species, called free radicals,” says Dr. Parker. “All of these things combined can increase skin cancer risk, wrinkling and pigment, and overall skin aging, as well as trigger inflammatory cascades that can then inflame things like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa (a condition that causes boil-like lesions in friction-prone areas), and acne.
And even if you don’t live nearby a wildfire, your skin isn’t out of the woods so to speak. “The spread of smoke and particulate pollution can travel thousands of miles, impacting air quality in distant areas,” she says. Those living in the Northeastern United States experienced this firsthand earlier this year, when wildfire smoke from Canada traveled as far south as Georgia and Florida.
Save Your Skin
While scientists figure out a way to reverse the warming trend, our experts say there are some things you can do right now at-home to protect your skin from extreme weather and climate-related stress.
Wash Well
Bathe and cleanse facial skin regularly with a mild cleanser for sensitive skin, says Dr. Friedman. “Traditional soaps are very drying and remove skin’s natural oils and fats, disrupting the skin barrier,” he says. That disruption can further dry skin and make it more vulnerable to environmental aggressors, including allergens and pollutants. If you got sweaty in the heat, wash off those salts asap, says Dr. Freidman.
Limit Oils
If you’re prone to breakouts, skip heavy occlusive moisturizers and skin oils when the temperature soars. These types of products can contribute to clogged pores but also skin yeast infections, says Dr. Friedman. “The yeast loves our skin oils, so body and facial oils can exacerbate the condition and increased growth by feeding it,” he says.
Reduce Friction
If you’re prone to rashes in skin folds, Dr. Friedman says to apply a waxy skin protectant to those areas. “I have patients who use plain Chapstick, a paraffin wax,” he says. “It will wick away water and decrease friction in those spots.”
Up Your Sun Protection Efforts
Wear sunscreen when out and wear sun-protective clothing. “Try to stay indoors in air conditioning when we have heat waves so that not only are you less at risk for heat stroke, but your skin doesn’t suffer from detrimental effects from exposure to high temperatures,” says Dr. Parker.
Minimize Pollution Exposure
“Stay indoors when the air quality index is high,” suggests Dr. Wei. “Using air purifiers indoors and keeping the windows and doors closed will also be helpful. Fortifying the skin barrier with moisturizers and using topical antioxidants such as vitamin C to fight free radicals unleashed by pollutants may also have merit. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals before they have a chance to damage healthy cells. Dr. Wei points out that these things haven’t been well-studied, but theoretically should help.
Be Prepared
Dr. Parker says having a to-go bag at the ready with your skin essentials can help prevent complexion issues during extreme weather events. This is especially important if you take topical or oral medications to treat chronic skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Mild Cleanser
This gentle cleanser removes grime—like irritating salts from perspiration—without stripping skin’s barrier.
Anti-Chafe Stick
When temperatures soar and you begin to sweat, swipe this anti-friction stick anywhere you tend to chafe. It can ward off painful irritation.
Full-Body Sunscreen
This moisturizer-sunscreen hybrid will keep you protected from UV damage that can lead to skin cancer, melasma, and other skin conditions.
Air Purifier
Now 25% Off
Investing in a quality air purification system can keep particulate matter off of your skin.
Antioxidant Serum
This antioxidant serum—a favorite of Women’s Health editors—can shield your complexion from the damaging free radicals released by pollutants.
The Bottom Line: It’s More Than Skin Deep
When the world is literally on fire, thinking about your skincare routine may feel superficial. But the threat to your skin goes beyond a few unsightly blemishes. An uptick in skin cancer, bacterial infections, and chronic, potentially debilitating inflammatory skin conditions are not minor concerns. Experts say adding a few protective measures to your daily routine will keep your skin safe while we all work together to find a sustainable solution to save our planet from climate change.