Born in London, Dr. Purvisha Patel was raised in Wales (United Kingdom) and Virginia. She completed her undergraduate and medical school studies at the University of Virginia. She completed her dermatology training at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Dr. Patel is certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. Dr. Patel’s expertise in skin and skincare is also seen as she formulated and patented the Visha Skincare line when she saw that her products were working on patients of all ages, genders, and skin types. Dr. Patel is also a beauty influencer and her highly published dermatologist publications include Allure, Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Prevention, Readers Digest, Shape, Women’s Health, etc. 

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As we transition out of summer into the fall season, it is very important that as skincare users you transition your routine properly. As the fall time brings on colder temperatures and a different atmosphere, your skin is going to go through an adjustment phase. To ensure that you are taking the best care of your skin, Haute Beauty expert Dr. Patel dives into the why and how you can smoothly alter your skincare products based on the seasonal change.

Why do you need to switch out your products from summer to fall?

Your skin is the largest organ of the body, exposed to the outside and the elements. As the weather gets cooler and showers get hotter the epidermal barrier to the outside may be in need of boosting. Cold air and wind constrict blood vessels and can result in decreased moisture to the surface of the skin. Hot showers and heating inside evaporates water from the skin faster, resulting in drier skin that can crack and become inflamed. Adjusting your routine may entail small changes such as exfoliating less often and moisturizing more often.

What ingredients should you look for in the skincare products you use for fall? Why?

Adding retinol and alpha hydroxy acids to your skincare product routine helps with exfoliation. Exfoliation helps boost collagen production and results in smoother plumper skin. This however may need to be decreased in the winter months, depending on what products are being used. Too much exfoliation can result in skin drying and inflammation, as the weather is not permitting the water and protective barrier to be repaired or restored as quickly.

There are products with retinol, such as Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum, that are also formulated with hyaluronic acid and can be used throughout the year without causing irritation. These ingredients can be used with caution, in the winter months.

As the weather gets cooler, a moisturizer with ceramides should be added to help coat the skin barrier and keep the elements from causing skin dryness and irritation. Look for creams and balms over lotions, as they are thicker and have less water (last longer) than lotions. These trap water in the skin and prevent evaporation as they fill in the surface cracks. Filling in the surface cracks of the skin helps the nerves exposed to the air, not fire (decreases sensitivity and itching). Visha Skincare Face2Feet body balm has a combination of natural butter and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help fill in cracks, moisturize and decrease inflamed skin.