Steam is good for your skin because it open up your pores to let out the toxins and impurities. Whether you’re heading to the spa for a steam session or you decide to hit up the steam room after the gym, there are some things you can do to maximize your time in the steam to get the most for your skin. The key to improving skin health with steam is consistency. It doesn’t do much good in the long term just to go in a steam room once in a while. To effectively improve the health of your skin, try using a steam room three times a week for 15 minutes per session.
Shower well prior to going into the steam room to remove all oil and grime from your skin, and remove all of your makeup. Avoid using lotions or creams on your skin prior to steaming. Makeup, oil and lotions will clog pores, making the steam less effective, and they may even be pushed deeper into the freshly opened pores. Keep your hair tied back as well so the oil from your hair doesn’t enter your open pores.
Enter the steam room with only a towel tied around your body. Wearing clothes or a tight bathing suit will make the steam less effective and may even cause rashes or breakouts. A loose towel is all that is needed when entering the steam room.
Dry your body well before entering the steam room. If your skin is wet, it won’t sweat as well, and sweating is necessary to get the most out of your session.
Stay in the steam room for up to 15 minutes. The longer you stay, the better, but the maximum time for one session should be 15 minutes. Listen to your body. If you begin to feel unwell in any way, leave the steam room immediately.
Take a cool shower after leaving the steam room. This will cool down and hydrate your body, and get rid of the impurities that were flushed out of your skin by the steam.
Tip
Soak your feet in a warm foot bath for three to five minutes prior to going into the steam room. This will prepare your body for the heat and steam.
Drink a lot of water prior to going into the steam room to prevent dehydration.
Warning
Do not use the steam room if you are pregnant.
Do not use the steam room if you’ve been taking illicit drugs or drinking alcohol.
Do not use the steam room if you suffer from any circulatory problems, high or low blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy or diabetes, or any other medical conditions that make it unsafe to raise your body temperature.
References
Writer Bio
Kimbry Parker has been writing since 1998 and has published content on various websites. Parker has experience writing on a variety of topics such as health, parenting, home improvement and decorating. She is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts in organizational communication.