By: Kimberly Rodrigues
Mostly everyone is tempted to take a hot shower, especially when the temperature drops. Hot showers not only help you feel warm but also tend to ease the stress of the day by relaxing the muscles.
However, one skin expert has revealed that hot steamy showers could be damaging your health and therefore, advises taking cooler showers instead.
Dr Farzan, a pharmacist based in the US, took to TikTok to highlight four ways hot showers can wreak havoc on your health.
Aggravates acne
According to Dr Farzan, hot water can damage your skin and worsen your acne.
Other experts too inform you that the skin is stripped of its natural oils and healthy bacteria when you take hot showers. Moisture is retained in the skin due to healthy bacteria. It also helps to keep dirt and unhealthy bacteria out of the skin, The Sun informs.
Dermatologist Dr Ajay Rana previously told HealthShots “Showering in extremely hot water strips off all the protective sebum, which keeps our skin barrier healthy. That is why many people also experience skin issues like flaking, itching, and dryness in winter. This excessive dryness can also cause overproduction of oil in those who have oily skin, leading to breakouts, be it back acne or acne on the face.”
Causes skin to be dry & sensitive
Showering in warmer temperatures can actually make your skin more dry, Dr Farzan said.
Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click is reported to have said, “Showering for too long (especially in a hot shower) can strip your skin of its natural oils, causing it to become dry.
Agreeing, Dr Ajay adds, “Extra hot water strips away the skin’s natural oils, leaving it dehydrated. That, in turn, can cause the skin to dry quickly, so it’s left craving for moisture.”
The pharmacist Abbas explains, “To lock in moisture after a shower, use an aqueous-based cream to moisture.”
Slows hair growth
Dr Farzan states those who have hot showers are at risk of damaging their luscious locks.
“Hot water slows down blood flow and your scalp needs good circulation to encourage healthy hair growth,” Sam Cinkir, CEO of Este Medical Group previously told The Sun.
Having a hot shower can also reportedly make your hair more brittle and susceptible to breakage – this in turn can cause hair loss.
Speaking about the difference between washing your hair with hot water and warm water, the expert explains, “Washing with warm water will open your pores enough for your roots and scalp to be cleaned, but not enough to cause damage and loss of hair.”
Worsens eczema and triggers other health conditions
Though hot showers can make you feel lovely, the hot water can make existing health conditions worse.
According to skin and wellness experts, hot temperatures make the skin dry and can thus worsen conditions like eczema.
Adam Friedman, MD, reportedly told Healthline in an earlier report that hot showers can cause itching.
According to Friedman, heat can cause mast cells (which contain histamine) to release their contents into the skin and cause itching.
Histamine is a chemical in the body that causes allergies.
Hot temperatures can increase your blood pressure, too. If you have problems with high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, a shower with water that’s too hot can worsen these conditions.
