People who are really into skincare do not just stop putting on sunscreen regularly and washing their faces religiously. They want to know everything that can improve their skin, and the question of cold shower vs hot shower for skin often comes into the spotlight.
So does the temperature of the water in your shower make any difference to your body? It absolutely does. There are countless benefits (and shortcomings) of bathing with cold or hot water.
In this article, we won’t be looking at the health and mental benefits of water temperature for showers. We’ll be focusing on the effect of shower water temperature on your skin.
So if you are about to take a bath, stop for ten minutes, read the article, and then decide whether today it’s going to be a cold shower or a hot one. Let’s get started.
Cold Shower – The Benefits
There are countless articles that talk about the benefits of taking a cold shower. Cold showers are really great to get you going. It revitalizes your body and makes you feel energetic.
So what are the benefits of a cold shower for your skin? There are a few benefits and it works for people with a specific skin type.
Retains Skin Oil and Moisture
One of the most apparent benefits of taking a cold shower is that it helps your skin retain its natural oil and in turn, enables it to stay moisturized compared to hot showers.
Taking long baths and using cleansers can remove the oil from your skin. This is necessary to get rid of the dirt and dust that are mixed with the oil. But remove too much of the skin oil and you get dry and flakey skin.
So people who already have dry skin, start taking cold water showers to prevent losing skin oil and moisture. Not just skin, but cold water helps your hair to retain moisture.
Tightens Pores
Your skin has hundreds of pores that expand and contract. Cold water contracts the pores and makes your skin look smooth and taut. If your skin has visible pores, consider taking cold showers to improve the texture of your skin.
Relieves and Soothes Skin
We all know how relaxing and relieving it is to pour some cold water on irritated or itchy skin. A cold water shower is perfect if your skin is irritated or itchy as it has soothing effects.
Reduces Blemishes, Heals Skin
Cold water increases blood circulation. This is the reason why you feel revitalized by taking a cold shower. The increased blood circulation improves skin healing and reduces blemishes.
Problems with Cold Showers
A cold shower is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some issues that come with a cold splash of water. Let’s take a look at them.
Improper Cleaning
The biggest problem with cold water showers is that they can lead to improper cleaning. Many face cleansers are activated properly with warm water. So people with oily skin or skin exposed to excess dirt and pollutants might require a warm shower.
Worsen Oiliness of Skin
As mentioned above, cold water showers can lead to improper activation of cleansers, leading to inadequate cleaning of the skin. But there is more to it.
Since cold water tightens pores, oil and dirt might remain stuck in the pore. If you have oily skin, things can get even worse. All of this leads to acne and other skin conditions.
So for people with oily and acne-prone skin, try turning the temperature up a bit. Let’s take a look at the benefits of taking warm showers.
Hot (Warm) Showers – The Benefits
Let us be very clear about it; a hot shower is bad for your skin. There are temperature receptors in your skin that tell you when the water is too hot. Do not try to steal your skin and take a shower with blisteringly hot water.
Water temperature anywhere between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, for our American readers) is considered to be the optimal temperature.
Proper Activation of Cleaning Products
Most body and face cleansers are properly activated and clean better when used with warm water compared to cold water. With proper activation, you can expect better cleaning and hence, better skin.
Expand Pores, Cleans Better
People with oily skin and who live in areas with high exposure to dust and pollutants need to take warm showers as warm showers expand their pores and it helps in a deeper cleaning of the skin.
As mentioned in the ‘Cold shower’ section, trapped oil and dirt in the pores can lead to acne and skin conditions if not cleaned properly.
Offer Better Sleep
Cold showers offer better sleep as it activates the body’s parasympathetic system; the system that helps you relax, calm down, and have a good sleep.
Taking a warm shower before going to bed helps relax the muscles and sleep better. We all know that good sleep equals good skin.
Hot Showers – The Problems
A warm shower is generally considered to be suitable for most people. But increase the temperature and you get a lot of issues. Let’s take a look at all the problems with hot showers.
Can Worsen Skin Condition
We do not need to tell you that splashing hot water on a rash or a wound does not offer the best feeling in the world. It is known that hot water can worsen the symptoms of skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, etc.
Can Make Skin Dry
As mentioned before, hot showers offer deeper cleaning. But they also lead to excess cleaning and removal of important skin oils. People with dry skin should stay away from taking hot showers.
Hot water also affects the keratin cells on the skin which help in retaining moisture. As a result, you get dry and flakey skin.
In conclusion, it is better to consider your skin type and take a shower accordingly. Warm showers are generally the better option but cold showers can be beneficial for many people.
Make sure to talk to your dermatologist about the best water temperature based on your skin type and get the great skin you always wanted. Remember to take care of your skin.
While you are here, click here to take a look at the proper way of washing your face.
