The monsoon is a time of relief, romance, and revival but your skin may be anything but refreshed. When raindrops fall and humidity surges, skin may prove to be an unwelcome adversary. Breakouts, rashes, fungal infections, and dullness are usual grievances dermatologists hear in the rainy season. Unlike the hot, sun-baked days of summer, the monsoon offers a special combination of moisture, heat, and microbial activity that can disturb the skin's natural balance.

Moreover, the mix of sweat, soggy clothes, and environmental toxins is a recipe for congested pores and inflammation. So how do you indulge in the seasonal transformation without ruining the cost of skin well-being? We consulted Dr. Neha Virmani, MD, DNB (Dermatology), Founder of Inara Skin, Hair and Aesthetics, Mumbai, to demystify seven evidence-based skincare tips to have balanced, hydrated, and infection-free skin during monsoons.

Why Skin Behaves Differently in the Rainy Season?

Monsoon climate shows skin a seeming paradox. The skin may be soft and dewy due to excess humidity, but this moisture outside may be hiding internal dehydration and barrier compromise. According to Dr. Virmani, "Humidity makes sebum production increase, which, when mixed with sweat and pollution, clogs pores and aggravates acne. Most patients experience flare-ups at this time."

Rain indirectly aggravates acne by providing a breeding ground for bacterial and fungal pathogens on the skin surface. The combination of excess sebum, dampness, and friction from wet clothes can cause sudden breakouts, rashes, and infections if day-to-day hygiene is not adjusted according to season. Knowing these seasonal imperatives is the beginning of tailoring a monsoon-friendly skincare regimen.

Can Rain Trigger Acne?

The rainy season, when there is a surge in humidity, causes your skin to retain more sweat, oil, and toxins. This provides a tacky, damp coating on the surface of your skin that clogs pores and feeds bacteria—prime promoters for acne attacks. Wet clothing, prolonged wet hair, and moisture from wet fabrics add to the problem, particularly on the back, chest, and shoulders.

Also, changing weather can break down the skin barrier, causing inflammation and excess sebum. Even mild fungal infections can reproduce or exaggerate acne-like bumps.

So, though the rain itself isn't actually responsible for pimples, it creates conditions on your skin that can certainly cause more breakouts.

Here are seven dermatologist-approved, evidence-based skincare tips to keep your skin clean, healthy, and calm during the rainy months.

1. Cleanse Twice a Day

Your skin tends to acquire sweat, oil, and atmosphere dirt faster during the monsoon. Dr. Virmani recommends, "Washing twice daily removes residue without depriving the skin's natural shield. Over-washing can cause rebound oiliness and redness."

For oily or acne skin, she suggests light foaming cleansers with salicylic acid to exfoliate pores, along with niacinamide to combat inflammation. The objective is a balanced regimen that leaves skin clean, calm, and prepared to take in moisture and treatments.

2. Don't Skip the Moisturizer

Even with humid conditions, air during the monsoons can subtly dehydrate. "Most people think the skin is naturally hydrated since it feels wet," Dr. Virmani points out. "But trans-epidermal water loss can still happen, breaking down the skin barrier."

Choose water-based, gel-based, or light moisturizers with hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Select non-comedogenic, oil-free products for acne skin to ensure moisturization without pore clogging. Regular moisturizing helps in repairing skin, controlling oil secretion, and keeping the complexion hydrated.

3. Don't Let the Clouds Fool You

Cloudy skies do not eliminate UV exposure. Dermatologists emphasize year-round protection. Dr. Virmani says, “Even on overcast days, UV rays penetrate clouds and can cause pigmentation, premature aging, and uneven skin tone. Gel-based or matte-finish sunscreens with SPF 30 or higher are ideal for monsoon comfort.”

Reapplication every three to four hours is crucial, especially if you’re outdoors or sitting near windows. Sunscreen protects the skin from long-term damage, making it as vital as hydration or cleansing.

4. Be Proactive Against Fungal Infections

Rainy weather encourages fungal growth in hot, moist conditions. "Places such as underarms, inner thighs, and between toes are especially susceptible," Dr. Virmani outlines. "Preventive hygiene—proper drying following bathing, airy clothing, and footwear rotation—can cut down on infections dramatically."

Dermatologists can recommend anti-fungal powders or medicated shampoos for recurrent flare-ups. Foregoing it during the early stages is much simpler than battling chronic infection later in the season.

5. Be Mindful of Deeper Hydration

Sweat appearing on the skin may not be enough in monsoon-induced skin stress. For deeper hydration, injectable skin boosters like Profhilo can rehydrate under the surface, triggering collagen and elastin. Dr. Virmani states, "Treatments like Profhilo enhance skin quality from the inside out, restoring firmness and glow to those experiencing seasonal dullness."

Such bioremodelling treatments are especially effective for mature skin or anyone seeing loss of tone and vitality during rainy weather.

6. Revamp Your Makeup Routine

Heavy makeup clogs pores and ensnares oil and sweat, causing them to break out. Dr. Virmani recommends, "Swap full-coverage foundations for tinted moisturizers, primers, or BB creams. Keep your routine efficient and sparse, prioritizing SPF and multi-tasking products."

Evening cleansing is essential to take out sweat, makeup, and impurities. Healthy skin is the foundation of any successful makeup regimen, so skincare needs to precede it.

7. It's More Than a Clean Face

Monsoon hygiene is more than just a washed face. "Bacteria and fungi survive not only on skin but on towels, pillowcases, and makeup brushes too," says Dr. Virmani. Regular washing of textiles and cleaning of brushes minimizes infection potential and avoids sudden outbreaks.

Don't share towels, dry makeup tools, and change pillowcases every 2–3 days. Easy hygiene improvements can make a big impact in keeping skin healthy.

Monsoon skincare doesn't have to be complicated. As per Dr. Virmani, "Consistency, awareness, and the right care make all the difference." By properly cleansing, moisturizing, safeguarding against UV damage, and being watchful for fungal and bacterial threats, your skin can stay calm, balanced, and radiant during the rainy months.

A new study has found that a single blood pressure reading taken when a person is just 7 years old can have a surprisingly big impact on their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD), or heart problems, many years later. Researchers from different US universities discovered that children with high blood pressure faced a significantly greater chance of an early death because of heart issues. This finding tells us that screening children's health early is extremely important.

The study, published in the medical journal JAMA, highlights how important early health screenings are by showing a clear connection between a child's blood pressure and their long-term health outcome. Children who had elevated blood pressure, meaning it was higher than normal, in the top 10 percent of kids or high blood pressure, in the top 5 percent were about 40 to 50 percent more likely to meet an early death from heart and blood vessel disease. That's a huge jump in risk.

How Can Blood Pressure Predict How Long You Live?

Researchers explained that they were shocked to find out how elevated blood pressure could affect children later on in life. This means that this shows that health problems start much earlier than previously thought.

The team looked at medical records for 37,081 children born in the US between 1959 and 1965, specifically checking their blood pressure at age 7. They checked back in with these people in their early fifties. Out of this large group, nearly 500 people had died from cardiovascular diseases.

While the total number of people who died from heart-related issues in the study was small, the dramatic increase in risk for the group with high blood pressure was a very important finding that deserves attention.

How Does High Blood Pressure in Childhood Affect Mortality Rate?

There are a few things to keep in mind about this research. The biggest is that blood pressure was only measured once at age 7, not checked regularly throughout the people's lives. Also, the data comes from the 1950s and 1960s, so today's children might have different health challenges.

The researchers also looked at a smaller group of 359 people from the same families. Since the results were similar for children in the same households, it suggests that the high blood pressure itself is the main problem, rather than other things families share like diet or neighborhood.

Besides heart disease, high blood pressure can cause other serious problems like kidney disease, vision loss, and plaque buildup in the arteries. These results "highlight the importance of screening for blood pressure in childhood and focusing on strategies to promote optimal cardiovascular health beginning in childhood," Freedman concluded.

What Causes High Blood Pressure In Children?

High blood pressure (hypertension) in children and teenagers can happen for a few different reasons. Sometimes it's caused by lifestyle factors, and other times it's a side effect of another medical condition.

• If high blood pressure runs in the family, a child is more likely to develop it.
• Being overweight or obese significantly increases the risk.
• Black children are at a higher risk for high blood pressure, just as Black adults are.
• Eating too much salt (sodium) or too many calories can contribute to the problem.
• Having diabetes is a risk factor.
• Being born with a low birth weight or being born prematurely (too early).
• Disorders of the kidneys or problems with the heart or blood vessels.
• Certain hormonal disorders.
• Sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops and starts during sleep.

Society often teaches people to expect mood swings, cramps, and general chaos when girls enter puberty. However, a healthcare professional suggests that this perspective may be causing people to miss important warning signs about a teen girl's overall health and well-being.

In an Instagram post, Holly Miller, OB/GYN (obstetrician and gynecologist) listed the things people often overlook when it comes to women’s health. The core message is that people should stop accepting certain struggles as "normal" and instead consider them as potential reasons to investigate deeper.

10 Ways People Often Dismiss Teen Girls’ Health

In the post caption, Dr Holly detailed 10 different things that people have normalized teen girls and their health concerns.

"She’s just moody."

Don't simply blame hormones; constant moodiness could point to serious mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or even PMDD. These conditions require professional support and should not be ignored.

"She’s always tired—probably just growing."

Extreme tiredness is often a sign of a real physical problem. It might be an iron deficiency, a thyroid imbalance, or a cortisol (stress hormone) issue caused by poor sleep or constant stress.

"Crippling period pain? Welcome to womanhood."

Pain that stops daily life is not normal. It could be endometriosis, a condition where tissue grows outside the uterus. The doctor reminds us this painful issue can begin when girls are very young.

"She’s gaining weight—probably eating too much."

Unexpected weight gain can signal deeper health problems. Look for PCOS (a hormone disorder), insulin resistance, or emotional eating as a way to cope with unacknowledged stress.

"She cries over everything—classic drama queen."

Crying often and intensely isn't always drama. It may be a sign of a trauma response where the teen’s nervous system is easily overwhelmed. Be compassionate and seek help.

"She’s super self-conscious—all teens are."

Intense focus on flaws is not just typical shyness. It could be body dysmorphia or a disordered eating pattern, which social media pressures can make much worse.

"Her acne is bad—part of being a teenager."

Severe acne can be a clue that something is off with her hormones. It often signals a hormonal imbalance caused by high male hormones (androgens) or an underlying condition like PCOS.

"She misses school during her period—she’ll toughen up."

Missing school due to periods is not normal. The true cause could be painful conditions like menstrual migraines, endometriosis, or PMDD, which are all treatable with the correct medical care.

"She’s embarrassed to talk about periods—normal!"

Shame around periods is often caused by a lack of proper education. It might mean she needs a safe and open space to ask questions and fully understand her own changing body.

"It’s just a phase—she’ll grow out of it."

Some teen troubles fade, but if you have a strong feeling that something is wrong, trust your gut. Don't wait; it's vital to speak up and advocate for the teen's health now.

The doctor concludes that people must recognize that not every struggle is "just hormones." If a daughter, niece, student, or any teen girl is struggling, it is not "overreacting" to ask questions and seek professional help; the doctor states that it is the smart and necessary thing to do.

One of the most common cancers in women, it is estimated that, breast cancer affected 2.3 millon women in 2022 and caused 670,000 deaths globally. While it is a common form of cancer, how many people know signs of breast cancer? According to a survey conducted by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center/OSUCCC, while more than 90 per cent knew lumps in breast was a sign, less than half knew what the other signs were.

A breast cancer surgeon, Dr Lauren Ramsey, pointed out four key points that everyone should know about breast cancer.

Learning is the best way to combat and increase chances of diagnoses because it is one of the most curable forms of cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, almost 100 per cent survive their cancer for the first five years or more, so when it is diagnosed early, one has more chances.

In an Instagram post titled, ‘Advice I would give you as a breast cancer surgeon if I wasn’t afraid of hurting your feelings’, Dr Ramsey listed these key points.

4 Key Points About Breast Cancer

In the captions, Dr Ramsey explained that having accurate information is necessary if we want to increase the chances of survival.

Family History Isn't the Only Risk Factor

A lot of people think they only need to worry about breast cancer if a parent or siblings have had it, but that idea is wrong. Only a tiny fraction—just 5 to 10 per cent—of all breast cancer cases are actually caused by inherited gene faults, like the well-known BRCA mutation.

This means that most cases of breast cancer happen to people who have no strong family history of the disease. It's really important for everyone to get regular screenings, such as mammograms, regardless of what their family's medical history looks like.

A Lump Isn't the Only Symptom

It's a common misunderstanding that breast cancer always starts with a hard lump you can feel. However, that's not always true.

You need to pay attention to other possible signs and changes. These signs can include changes to the skin on your breast, like redness or dimpling - like an orange peel, discharge coming from the nipple, new swelling in the breast or armpit, or even just a feeling of subtle, unusual pain. Get to know what your breasts normally look and feel like, so you can tell your doctor right away if anything new or strange appears.

Dense Tissue Complicates Detection

Many women have dense breast tissue, which is totally normal. However, this type of tissue makes finding a tumor much harder when a mammogram is performed.

On an X-ray, both dense breast tissue and cancerous tumors look white. This makes it easy for tumors to hide behind the tissue. If your breasts are dense, your doctor might suggest extra tests like an ultrasound or MRI after your mammogram. Always make sure to ask if your breast density was written on your mammogram report so you know if further checks are necessary.

Lifestyle Choices Make a Real Difference

All the advice you hear about healthy living truly does help lower your risk of developing breast cancer. It's not just talk!

Even small, simple changes can have a powerful impact on your health. A great place to start is by cutting back on alcohol and processed foods. Make it a point to also move your body more every day. These healthy habits are effective steps you can take starting right now to protect yourself and lower your risk.