How Switching Between Air Conditioning and Dubai’s Heat Affects Your Body and Skin

For many Dubai residents, summer means constantly moving between two starkly different environments: the heavily air-conditioned office, shopping mall or car, followed moments later by intense outdoor heat and humidity. The human body is designed to adapt to temperature changes, but repeated exposure can place additional strain on its temperature-regulation system and the skin’s protective barrier.

Dr Negin Hakim, a family medicine specialist, said that when a person enters extremely hot weather, blood vessels near the skin’s surface dilate to help the body release heat, the heart rate and workload increase, and sweating begins to cool the body.

She said Dubai’s high humidity prevents sweat from evaporating easily, making the body’s natural cooling process less effective.

Returning indoors and being exposed to powerful air conditioning reduces the body’s need to cool itself, but cold, dry air can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and airways, particularly in people with asthma, allergies or sinus problems.

However, doctors stress that a sudden shift from hot to cold conditions does not directly cause a cold or influenza, as these illnesses are caused by viruses rather than temperature changes.

Nevertheless, frequent temperature changes may leave some people feeling unwell. Headaches, fatigue, poor concentration and light-headedness are more common among those who are dehydrated or have not eaten properly.

Heat causes blood vessels to dilate, while sweating leads to the loss of water and salt from the body. Together, these factors can lower blood pressure and cause dizziness.

According to Dr Hakim, significant differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures can also cause dizziness, dry eyes and throat, a blocked or runny nose, and fatigue.

These changes can also affect the skin. Plastic surgeon Dr Maurizio Viel described Dubai’s summer as experiencing “two climates in one day”.

Outdoors, the heat increases sweating and oil production, while indoors, air conditioning reduces humidity and causes more water to evaporate from the skin’s surface.

He said the result is a common summer paradox: skin that is simultaneously oily and dehydrated.

According to the doctor, some people respond to oily skin by using harsh cleansers and exfoliating acids, which can further damage the skin’s protective barrier and even increase oil production.

Symptoms may include tightness after showering, flaking around the nose and mouth, redness, acne, heat rash, facial puffiness, and makeup not sitting properly on the skin.

Most of these changes are temporary and can improve within a few weeks with gentler skincare and adequate hydration.

However, the more significant concern is the long-term cumulative effect of sunlight and heat. Over time, ultraviolet radiation and heat can increase skin pigmentation, damage collagen, cause fine lines and reduce skin firmness.

People prone to melasma or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may also experience worsening symptoms during the hottest months of the year.

Doctors recommend keeping indoor temperatures moderate and avoiding excessive cooling. People should also avoid sitting directly beneath air-conditioning vents and drink water regularly throughout the day, even while indoors.

Dr Somayeh Shamsaei, an internal medicine specialist at Aster Clinic in JLT, says the effects of extreme temperature changes may be more pronounced among older adults, pregnant women, people with diabetes and those with heart disease.

She said heat can cause peripheral blood vessels to dilate, increase the heart rate and slightly lower blood pressure. Entering a cold environment suddenly reverses these changes, which can be problematic for people with underlying heart conditions.

Doctors recommend allowing the body a few moments to adjust to the outdoor temperature when leaving a building and avoiding strenuous activity immediately after stepping outside.

People are also advised to limit time outdoors during peak heat, wear a hat and sunglasses, stay in the shade and use broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours while outdoors.

For skincare, experts recommend using a gentle cleanser and moisturisers containing ingredients such as ceramides or niacinamide, while avoiding excessive use of strong acids and retinoids during the height of summer.

Using a humidifier in bedrooms or spaces heavily cooled by air conditioning can also help reduce air dryness.

Doctors stress that persistent dizziness, unusual fatigue, wheezing, a prolonged cough or shortness of breath should not simply be attributed to “summer fatigue”.

Headaches, nausea, heavy sweating, significant weakness or reduced urination after heat exposure may also indicate dehydration or heat-related illness and require medical attention.