Sauna and skin care

The idea of this article is, to sum up, all important advice about skin care in the sauna. Sauna and skin care are going together. So, use the opportunity to do all the best to your skin and enjoy the healthy and beautiful skin.

Rinse  your skin before entering a sauna

Unblock the skin by washing away dry skin cells lingering on the surface. Use natural products with herbs before steaming, natural soaps will assure that pores will not become clogged by additives. After the sauna, rinse the skin with cold water. Your circulation will increase and remove toxins that may have been released. Once you have gone into the sauna for the last time and have taken your shower, dry off and then use a natural oil or cream to keep the skin soft.

There is nothing better than sweating out the toxins especially after a big night out. A proper sauna routine can also clear up your complexion.

Replacing intense activity with high temperatures has almost a similar effect, says a dermatologist: “The heat from the sauna increases blood flow, which in turn leads to blood pressure to drop,” says Marina Peredo, M.D., of Skinfluence NYC. “The heart beats faster and more efficiently. As with exercise, the increased circulation means that more nutrients are being delivered to the skin.”

You’re aggressively dehydrating your body

Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after a sauna. This is imperative. Peredo also warns of buildup on the scalp: “What happens to the skin happens to the scalp, causing inflammation around the hair follicles and irritation.” So be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly and use your fingers to scrub away any grime—whether or not your shampoo.

Avoid sauna if…

“People with rosacea and atopic dermatitis should avoid saunas,” says Peredo. “If someone has a heart condition, he or she should get medical clearance before going into the sauna. The same goes for other conditions such as vertigo.”

In fact, dermatologists often advise people with oily skin and acne to avoid saunas and steam rooms. ”If you have problem skin or acne,” says Dr. Rigel, ”you are likely to overproduce oil as a response to heat. You may also oversweat. This will only exacerbate the problem.”

Hair and nails

Hairdressers say that after damage by the sun and excessive hair coloring, improper use of the sauna is the most common cause of overdried hair. Use a damp towel as a turban to protect your hair if you do not want to bother further with hair care. Otherwise, smooth your regular hair conditioner or an oil such as baby oil through your hair either before or immediately upon entering the sauna. For added penetration, cover your head with a shower cap – a trick that a number of women say leaves their hair softer and shinier than when they use the products in the shower.

According to Dr. James J. Leyden, professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, another widely held fallacy is that the sauna will help rid the skin of blackheads and blemishes. It is impossible to ”sweat out” blackheads, he says, because they are not composed of dirt, contrary to common assumption, but of concentrated skin pigment. The sauna also does not reduce the number of blemishes a person has. Dr. Leyden says that in the late 1960’s he helped conduct an experiment in which the blemishes of 25 women were counted before and after they steamed their faces two to three times a day for three months. ”The women loved the steam, and it improved their self-esteem,” he says, ”but it did absolutely nothing to reduce the number of blemishes they had.”