Do Your Skin a Favor By Staying Away From Hot Showers

Hot showers feel real good. Hot water cascading over the skin helps relieve stiffness, pains and can even ease tensions. It clears nasal congestions and is perfect for inducing sound sleep too. It even opens the pores and can cleanse the skin and scalp of various impurities.
However, the same hot or even warm water can silently wreak great havoc while you bathe. Consider this:

• Hot water strips away the natural oils and cells from the outer layer of the skin. This is cleansing, but as the essential moisture escapes from the skin, it ends up dry, tight and itchy. A sure giveaway is that your skin looks red or wrinkled as you step out of the shower or bath!

• Steamy hot showers can even make the skin scaly with deep cracks. It can develop rashes too.

• As the skin loses essential oils, it tries to compensate by producing more oil which gives you a very oily appearance throughout the day.

• A similar effect plays out on the hair strands as they lose the natural oil and end up dry and brittle.

• Hot water can make the hair frizzy and prone to split ends.

In sum, even the best skin care products may prove ineffective if you are indulging in too many long and steamy showers. The skin and hair do not look radiant or even healthy anymore. On the other hand, showering with reasonably cold water helps in the following ways:

• Hot water opens the pores, but leaving them open will cause them to accumulate dust and dirt once again. Cold water is essential for sealing the pores once again and preventing impurities from seeping into the skin.

• Cold water tightens blood vessels, thus reducing swelling and dirk circles. Think under the eyes.

• Cold water locks the oil and moisture into the hair strands. They become strong and get a natural shine.

• An extra bonus - The cold water causes blood to rush to the organs and keeps them working properly, so that you can shine with health and vitality.

So, the verdict is out. Blasting hot showers are a complete no-no. It may seem very tempting to kickstart a chilly winter day with a long, hot shower. However, train yourself to opt for a warm shower instead that is slightly above the room temperature. This will unclog the pores as well as the mind and then you can switch to slightly cold water in the last few minutes of the bath. Finishing off with a cold shower will effectively seal things and benefit your skin and hair immediately.
Remember to pat yourself a little dry and then slather on the best skin care products on the still moist skin. This will further moisturize the skin and keep it well-hydrated throughout the day!