Summer Skincare Tips: Venice Family Clinic Dermatologist’s Guide

As summer brings stronger sun and more time outdoors, Venice Family Clinic skin specialist Dr. Zaira Ortega is urging Los Angeles residents to protect their skin now — and year-round

“Summer is an especially important time for skincare, but this guidance applies year-round,” Ortega said. She said she often treats patients in their 40s with changing moles or accumulated sun damage, and tells them the best day to start healthy habits is today

The guidance comes as Venice Family Clinic, a nonprofit community health center serving 45,000 people across the Westside, Inglewood and the South Bay, opened an in-house dermatology practice at its Torrance SkyPark location. For many patients — 87% of whom live below the federal poverty line — dermatology has been limited by cost, wait times and referral hurdles. Ortega also sees patients at the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center in Venice, where biopsies and other procedures are available.

Her top recommendation is daily sunscreen. “Sunscreen is the single most important preventative care tool for healthy skin,” she said, noting UV exposure adds up through car windows and errands. She advises broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, favoring lotions or creams over sprays, and reapplying roughly every 80 minutes when the UV index is above 2, especially when sweating or swimming. UPF clothing, wide-brim hats and sun-protective gloves add protection.

Ortega urges simple routines: a gentle cleanser, unscented moisturizer and sunscreen are enough for most people. She recommends introducing one new product at a time, showering after exercise and limiting processed foods, which can worsen acne

She also cautioned against unproven trends. “Natural isn’t always better,” she said, warning that “base tans” signal sun damage, DIY sunscreens lack standardized SPF, and fads like beef tallow and juice cleanses show no proven benefit. Supplements help only those with a specific deficiency and can otherwise worsen acne, she said

Ortega recommends yearly skin checks and at-home monitoring using the “ABCDEs” — asymmetry, irregular borders, multiple colors, changing diameter and evolution over time. Those with a family history of melanoma should schedule a full-body check

For more information, visithttps://venicefamilyclinic.org/care/specialty/

Edited by SMDP Staff