Getting the body ready for summer: a realistic plan with time

Every year, around May, promises of a “summer body in 30 days” multiply. And every year many people discover the same thing: almost everything that really changes the body and skin needs more time than that. Laser hair removal takes months and cannot be done on tanned skin. Body contouring treatments show results weeks later. Fat loss and muscle gain have their own pace.

This article proposes a realistic calendar, with what makes sense to start six months ahead, three months ahead and in the last month, and what is important to reach summer with protected skin. Because the goal is not a “summer body”: it is to feel good in the body you have, in good health and without rushing.

The calendar, month by month

This calendar is not rigid. If you are reading this in May, there is still a lot you can do, especially in skincare and sun protection. It is simply that some treatments make more sense after summer.

Treatments that need time

Laser hair removal

• It acts on hairs in the growth phase, so it needs several sessions, generally spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart, depending on the area.
• It must not be done on tanned skin (risk of burns and dark patches), and the sun must be avoided in the weeks before and after the sessions.
• That is why autumn and winter are the best time to start. Those who start in April rarely finish before summer.

Dark spots, stretch marks and body peels

• Treatments for dark spots and some treatments for stretch marks increase sensitivity to the sun or require skin without a tan.
• Body peels, especially the more intense ones, should be done with little sun exposure.
• Recent red stretch marks respond better; if you have them, do not wait for next summer.

Cellulite, laxity and localised fat

• Radiofrequency, mechanical massage, acoustic waves and other cellulite and firmness treatments usually require a series of sessions, weekly or fortnightly.
• Localised fat reduction treatments, such as cryolipolysis, show results gradually, after 1 to 3 months.
• Starting three to four months ahead gives time to see the result and make adjustments.

What may be left for closer to the time

• Lymphatic drainage massages and body moisturising treatments, with a more immediate effect.
• Gentle exfoliation and self-tanner.

A professional assessment at the start helps to decide what makes sense for you and in what order.

The body: habits instead of crash diets

Why crash diets are not worth it

Very restrictive diets in the weeks before summer cause rapid weight loss, but a good part is water and muscle, and the weight tends to come back. They are also tiring, may affect mood and sleep, and leave the skin and hair looking worse. Cycles of losing and regaining weight are not good for the skin either.

What works with a few months' notice

• Strength training, two to three times a week. It is what changes body contour the most (buttocks, thighs, arms, posture), even with little change in weight.
• Aerobic exercise, ideally 150 minutes or more a week at moderate intensity, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
• A Mediterranean-based diet, with sufficient protein and fewer ultra-processed foods, less alcohol and sugar.
• Sufficient sleep, which influences appetite, energy and recovery.
• Realistic goals: sustainable fat loss is, for many people, around half a kilo to one kilo a week, at most.

Swelling and fluid retention

In hot weather, many people notice more swollen legs and feet. Moving around throughout the day, reducing salt, raising the legs at the end of the day and, when indicated, wearing compression stockings help. Swelling of one leg only, sudden, with pain, should be assessed urgently.

Skin and the sun

Sunscreen: quantity, not just factor

• Use broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, and 50 on fair skin, skin with dark spots or at the beach.
• Quantity counts: the SPF on the label is tested at 2 mg per cm² of skin. In practice, this corresponds to about six teaspoons for an adult's whole body. Studies show that most people apply much less, which considerably reduces the real protection.
• Reapply every two hours and after swimming, sweating or towel-drying.
• Shade, hat and clothing protect more than any sunscreen. Avoid the sun between 12 noon and 4 pm in summer, when the UV index in Portugal is often very high.
• Randomised trials in Australia showed that regular sunscreen use reduces skin ageing and was associated with fewer melanomas in the long term.

Tanning and sunbeds

A tan is the skin's response to damage caused by radiation. There is no “safe tan” and no “base tan” that protects in any relevant way. Artificial tanning devices are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as carcinogenic to humans, and a meta-analysis linked their use to a higher risk of melanoma, especially when use begins before the age of 35. Sunbeds, no.

Self-tanner: the safe alternative

Self-tanners with dihydroxyacetone (DHA) react with the outermost layer of the skin and create a colour that lasts a few days. They are considered safe for use on the skin. Two notes: they do not protect from the sun (you still need sunscreen) and they should be applied after gentle exfoliation, paying attention to elbows, knees and ankles. Avoid inhaling spray self-tanners.

Moles and dark spots

Before summer is a good time to check the skin (including the back, with help) and, if you have many moles, a history of skin cancer or a mole that has changed, to book an examination with the doctor.

Medicines and products that increase sensitivity to the sun

Some medicines can cause burns or dark patches in the sun: certain antibiotics (such as doxycycline), some diuretics, anti-inflammatories, isotretinoin, among others. Topical retinoids and acids also increase sensitivity. If you take regular medication or are going to have a treatment before holidays, ask your doctor or pharmacist. And beware of perfumes and lemon juice on the skin in the sun, which can cause dark patches.

Common mistakes

• Starting laser hair removal or treatments for dark spots in May.
• Having peels or aggressive treatments weeks before going to the beach.
• Crash diets in the last weeks.
• “Preparing the skin” with a sunbed.
• Using too little sunscreen or not reapplying.
• Expecting one treatment to resolve on its own what also depends on habits.
• Forgetting the aftermath: summer also leaves marks that are worth treating in autumn.

At Luxmed, we help to plan the year in good time: what to start in autumn and winter, what to do in spring and how to care for the skin during and after summer. A body assessment at the start sets realistic priorities for you.

This article is for information purposes and does not replace a consultation. The results of any treatment vary from person to person.

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