Don’t be all, like, uncool this summer.
Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, a board-certified dermatologist based in Mississippi, is sharing the four things she would never do when the weather turns warm — walk barefoot by the pool, use citrus in the sun, shave over warts and sleep with wet hair.
Walk barefoot by the pool
“You could judge me all you want, but I have seen my fair share of athlete’s foot from people walking around all summer by the pool,” Zubritsky said in a TikTok this week that has scared up 57,200 views.
“Moist, wet environments like the pool, public showers, saunas, these absolutely harbor fungus on the ground and it is super easy to pick it up,” she continued. “You will always be catching me in flip-flops.”
A recent study out of Poland found that swimmers are at high risk for fungal infections. If you rock flip-flops by the pool to avoid athlete’s foot, don’t wear them too long — they can increase your risk of heel pain, shin splints and sprained ankles because of their lack of support and cushioning.
Use citrus in the sun
Zubritsky advises against squeezing lemon or lime into your hair to try to lighten it — save the fruit for your indoor cocktails.
“Citrus can interact with UV light, leading to a phototoxic reaction called phytophotodermatitis … a severe blistering reaction that leaves this irregular pattern on your skin from anywhere that the juice touched your skin,” she explained. “After that blistering goes away, it can leave behind hyperpigmentation that can last for months.”
Shave over warts
Be very careful when you shave your legs to show them off in short shorts — especially if you have warts.
“Warts are contagious, which means that if you were to nick your skin and you shave over them, you could transfer that wart virus all over your legs,” Zubritsky said. “This is especially true if you have these tiny, little almost invisible warts called flat warts — and the more warts you have, the more difficult they are to get rid of.”
Smaller and smoother than other warts, flat warts are flesh-colored, pink or yellowish-brown. They are most common in children and teens.
Sleep with wet hair
“I will always dry my hair before going to bed,” Zubritsky shared. “Sleeping on wet hair is a moist environment, which can be a breeding ground for things like bacteria and fungus, leading to diseases like tinea capitis or setting off conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, all of which are caused by a fungus or yeast in the scalp.”
Tinea capitis is ringworm of the scalp, while seborrheic dermatitis can cause scaly patches on the scalp.
Never fear, The Post has you covered — we found the 10 best blow dryers for all hair types.
