Heading South This Winter? A Guelph Dermatologist’s Guide to Protecting Your Skin

In October, Dr. Dusan Sajic was featured in Luxury Travel Magazine in a piece on how travel affects the skin. It covers long flights, dry cabin air, strong sun, changing humidity and broken sleep. This is the practical version for anyone in Guelph and the surrounding area who is booking a warm week away this winter.

Your skin is leaving one of the lowest-UV seasons of the Canadian year and heading into some of the strongest sun anywhere. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the UV index in Canada “is generally low in winter,” and that values up to 14 occur in tropical countries. Most of what follows is about planning for that jump.

Key Takeaways

• Canada’s UV index is generally low in winter, but it can reach 14 in tropical countries (Environment and Climate Change Canada).
• Some antibiotics, water pills, antidepressants and vitamin A-based acne medications can make skin oversensitive to the sun.
• Use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and reapply at least every 2 hours (Health Canada).
• Book a skin check if a spot is new or changing when you get home.

Why is a winter sun trip harder on your skin than summer at home?

The change in UV is large, and it happens overnight. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the UV index here is generally low in winter and tells Canadians to “be careful on winter trips in the sun.” The Canadian Dermatology Association notes that the UV scale runs from 1 to 11 in Canada but may reach 14 or higher in the southern United States and the tropics.

A beach holiday adds two more factors. The World Health Organization notes that UV levels rise the closer you are to the equator, and that water, sand and fresh snow increase UV levels by reflecting it. Environment Canada’s warning for beach trips is direct: you can sunburn quickly because the sun reflects off the water and light-coloured sand.

So check the local UV index forecast when you arrive. At 8 and above, the WHO’s advice-index) is to avoid being outside during midday hours.

What should you do before you leave?

Start a couple of weeks before the flight. Each of these is easier to sort out at home than on the beach.

Check your medications

According to the Canadian Dermatology Association, a small percentage of people taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs find their skin becomes oversensitive to the sun. They can get sunburn, blisters, rashes or swelling. The CDA’s list includes some antibiotics, diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, antipsychotics, antidiabetic preparations and some acne medications made from vitamin A or its derivatives.

If you take any of these, ask the doctor who prescribed it or your pharmacist how to plan for the trip. Don’t stop a prescription on your own.

Plan cosmetic treatments around your travel dates

If you’ve recently had a laser treatment, a peel or another resurfacing procedure, or you have one booked, ask the clinic treating you how sun exposure fits with your travel dates. It is much easier to set the dates together than to rearrange them after the fact. Our laser treatments page explains the options we offer.

If you have melasma, pack a tinted sunscreen

The American Academy of Dermatology says sunlight triggers melasma, and that visible light can worsen it, especially in darker skin tones. Its advice is a tinted sunscreen that contains iron oxide and has an SPF of 30 or higher. If you’re already being treated for melasma, mention the trip at your next visit. Our melasma and hyperpigmentation page covers the treatment options.

Try any new sunscreen at home first

A beach week is a bad time to find out you react to a product. Health Canada suggests testing a new sunscreen on a small area of the inner forearm and checking for a reaction after 48 hours.

Know your moles before you go

It’s easier to spot a change when you know what was there before. The AAD’s ABCDE guide is a useful reference, and the E, for evolving, is one of the signs to watch when you get home: a spot that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or colour. If you have many moles, or one you’re unsure about, a skin check before you leave gives you a baseline to compare against. We offer mole mapping and skin cancer screening here in Guelph.

How should you protect your skin once you’re there?

Apply more sunscreen than feels necessary, apply it earlier, and keep reapplying. Health Canada recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply it at least 15 minutes before you go out, and reapply at least every 2 hours. Do it more often if you’re sweating, swimming or towelling off.

Quantity is easy to get wrong. Health Canada’s guide is about 7 teaspoons (35 mL) to cover an adult’s exposed skin, including about 1 teaspoon for the face and neck. Using less than the recommended amount greatly reduces the protection you get.

A few other habits help:

• A “water resistant” sunscreen stays on better while you swim, but Health Canada says it still needs reapplying when you get out of the water.
• Health Canada’s sunscreen guidance says UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Its quick check is your shadow: if it’s shorter than you are, the sun is very strong.
• Put on a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher, as the CDA recommends.
• Heat can make sunscreen less effective. Keep it out of direct sun and hot cars, and check the expiry date on last year’s bottle before you pack it.

Going somewhere snowy instead? Environment Canada notes that fresh white snow can reflect over 80% of the sun’s UV rays, so the same habits apply on a ski hill.

Does the flight affect your skin?

A little. The Aerospace Medical Association says cabin humidity is usually low, in the range of 20%. That isn’t a health risk, but it can cause dry skin and eye irritation in sensitive people. A plain moisturizer in your carry-on and regular sips of water help with the dryness.

If you’re packing sunscreen in your carry-on, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) limits each container to 100 ml/100 g (3.4 oz). All of your containers have to fit in one clear, resealable bag of no more than 1 L.

What should you do if you get a sunburn?

Get out of the sun first, ideally indoors. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests cool baths or showers, a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or soy, and extra water, because a sunburn draws fluid to the skin’s surface. Don’t pop blisters. Blistering means a second-degree sunburn, and the blisters help the skin heal and protect it from infection.

Health Canada notes that the full effect of a sunburn may not show for 24 hours or longer, and it advises avoiding creams or lotions that may hold heat inside the skin (aloe gel is fine). If you’re unsure whether a burn needs a doctor, go by Health Canada’s full list on that page, which includes the signs below. Get medical attention right away for a sunburn that forms blisters or is extremely painful, or one that comes with nausea, fever or severe chills. Abroad, that means a local clinic or hospital rather than waiting until you’re home.

When should you see a dermatologist after the trip?

See a dermatologist when a spot is new, looks different from your other spots, or is changing, itching or bleeding. That is the AAD’s guidance, and it holds whether you noticed the spot on the beach or a month later. Our guide on when to see a dermatologist in Guelph covers other changes that shouldn’t wait.

If a spot is worrying you, call our medical line at (519) 836-8558. If you’re not sure whether you need a referral, our referral guide explains how that works at deRMA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I get a base tan before a winter trip?

No. Health Canada says there is no such thing as a “healthy” tan, and that using tanning equipment damages the skin and increases the risk of melanoma. A pre-trip tan only adds UV exposure before the strong sun even starts. Begin the trip with sunscreen, a hat and shade instead.

Is SPF 30 enough for a beach holiday?

Health Canada and the Canadian Dermatology Association both recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Health Canada also points out that SPF 30 does not mean you can stay in the sun 30 times longer. How much you apply, and how often you reapply, matter whatever number is on the bottle.

Can I bring sunscreen in my carry-on?

Yes, in containers of 100 ml or less. CATSA’s rule for Canadian airports is 100 ml/100 g (3.4 oz) or less per container, with every container in one clear, resealable bag of no more than 1 L. Larger bottles can go in your checked baggage.

I’m on acne medication. Can I still travel somewhere sunny?

Ask your prescriber before you book. The Canadian Dermatology Association lists some acne medications made from vitamin A or its derivatives among the drugs that can make skin oversensitive to the sun. Your prescriber can tell you whether yours is one of them and how to plan around it.

Sources

• Luxury Travel Magazine, “How Dr. Dusan Sajic Is Changing the Way Luxury Travelers Think About Skin Health,” October 7, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/how-dr-dusan-sajic-is-changing-the-way-luxury-travelers-think-about-skin-health
• Environment and Climate Change Canada, “Ultraviolet (UV) index and sun safety,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/weather-health/uv-index-sun-safety.html
• Canadian Dermatology Association, “Sun Safety for Every Day,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/sun-protection/sun-safety-every-day/
• World Health Organization, “Ultraviolet radiation” fact sheet, retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ultraviolet-radiation
• World Health Organization, “Radiation: The ultraviolet (UV) index,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index
• Health Canada, “Sunscreens,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/sun-safety/sunscreens.html
• Health Canada, “Sun safety basics,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/sun-safety/sun-safety-basics.html
• Health Canada, “First aid advice for sunburn and heat illness,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/sun-safety/first-aid-advice-sunburn-heat-illness.html
• American Academy of Dermatology, “How to treat sunburn,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/injured-skin/burns/treat-sunburn
• American Academy of Dermatology, “What to look for: ABCDEs of melanoma,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/abcdes-melanoma
• American Academy of Dermatology, “Melasma: Self-care,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/melasma-self-care
• Aerospace Medical Association, “Health Tips for Airline Travel,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://asma.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/HEALTH-TIPS-FOR-AIRLINE-TRAVEL-Trifold-2013.pdf
• Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, “Liquids, Non-solid Food & Personal Items,” retrieved 2026-10-13, https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/what-can-bring/liquids-non-solid-food-personal-items