Washing Your Face in the Shower? The American Academy Disagrees - You Won't Believe Why
You're in the shower, the water is flowing, and it seems natural to wash your face 'on the way.' However, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology believe that using 'extreme' water is the most foolish thing you can do.
It seems so logical: you're in the shower, the water is flowing, and it seems perfectly natural to wash your face 'on the way.'
However, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology believe this is the most foolish thing we can do. "Most people use hot water during their showers, which dries out the facial skin and causes blood vessels to expand and delicate tissues to break," explains dermatologist and research director Joshua Zeichner.
Zeichner is a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and has been studying the effects of hot and cold water temperatures on our facial and body skin for years. "Not many people are aware, but extremely hot water removes the essential oils from our skin that help maintain its integrity."
So what's the solution, then?
"Avoid washing your face with water that is at an extreme temperature - hot or cold. It might seem like a small and unimportant matter, but the skin's reaction to water extremes typically includes rashes, inflammation, itching, and other sensitivities," says Dr. Justine Owen, spokesperson for the academy.
The American Academy of Dermatology cites in its research that the ideal shower time should be between 5-10 minutes, and the more exposed one is to extreme waters, the more it can irritate, dry, and damage facial skin, among other things.
