Hot water; you can affect the well-being of your skin just by adjusting the water temperature

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In natural skin care, the water is lukewarm, warm to the skin
Kuva Pexels Pixabaystä

Winter skin is dry and problematic. Many struggles desperately to keep the skin healthy and moisturized even in winter. Proper skin care methods are the key to winter skin care. However, in this article, I will focus on one very important factor that causes dry skin. Do you use unnecessarily hot water for skin care? It may be the cause for dry hands and dry skin problems generally.

We use hot water way too much

Hot water is easy to get from the tap. Today, hot water is available in almost every home. In wintertime, when the air gets colder, it makes sense to turn the faucet even hotter. Especially when washing your hands, you notice it. The cool water feels nasty. We may also have feeling that cool water does not clean hands so thoroughly. How water temperature affects the skin. I will go into that in this article.

How does hot water affect the skin?

Hot water is harmful to the skin in many ways. The skin is not naturally adapted to hot water. What we call a warm shower can be too hot for the skin. Hot water dries the skin immediately. Even if you do not use any soap or other detergent at all, your skin may still dry out.

Hot water damages the keratin, which is in epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. Keratin takes care of the softness and hydration of the skin. If keratin layer is gone, the skin becomes rough and dry.

Regular hot showers can make pre-existing skin conditions worse. If you have atopic skin or other skin condition, your skin may get symptoms as a result of hot showers. Signs of atopic skin include itching and redness. Therefore, dermatologists recommend only lukewarm water to atopic skin.

What is the right water temperature for your skin?

Whether the water feels too cold or too hot is very individual. Some prefer it cooler and some hotter. The fact is, however, that the sebum on the skin, the natural protective layer, begins to melt in the heat. Therefore, the optimum shower water temperature is said to be 37 degrees Celsius. At 37 degrees, the sebum, made up of fats, does not yet begin to melt. So, the optimal temperature for the skin does not depend on the person but on the melting point of sebum fats.

The natural skin’s protective layer can also be destroyed with detergents. If you take a shower every day, consider the actual need of shower gel on daily use. Also, think about whether you need a shower every day.

The skin needs gentle care in winter

After the shower, moist skin needs gentle care. Pat the skin dry with a towel. It is good to apply moisturizing products to damp skin. At this point they are well absorbed and lock moisture in the skin for a long period of time. After a lukewarm shower, the skin pores are opened and are easily receiving everything. However, avoid heavily scented products as well as other strong cosmetic chemicals.

Lukewarm water is also important when washing hands

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When washing your hands, use only lukewarm water and mild detergents.
Kuva Martin Slavoljubovski Pixabaystä

Many of us do suffer dry hands. Now, when we have to wash our hands more often, it is especially important that we only use lukewarm water. The water at about 37 degrees Celsius is as warm as the skin and does not feel cold or hot. Hot water combined with an effective hand soap dries our hands. Also choose a soap as gentle as possible.

Make sure you use lukewarm water when washing dishes and cleaning your home. Of course, it would be best to get protective gloves. Also, avoid strong general-purpose detergents and other household chemicals when cleaning and washing dishes. You can also clean ecologically with vinegar.

Use hand cream regularly on your hands. It is best to apply the hand cream to damp hands after washing. Let the hand cream have time to be absorbed. If you want to give intensive treatment to dry hands, apply a rich hand cream or oil to your hands in the evening. Wear cotton gloves when sleeping and in the morning, you have soft hands.

How have you managed to keep your hands in good shape?

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