These are the ways a hot shower can affect your skin and hair
If you’re at all like me, a steaming hot shower is often the first step in approaching almost any challenge. Whether it’s rinsing away the chaos of a hectic work day, prepping for a restful night’s sleep or simply a treat for surviving this frosty British winter, leisurely lathering up under blissfully hot water has become my simple daily luxury.
And it’s not just for relieving tension in my sometimes-stiff limbs and regulating my circadian rhythm. For me, it’s a foolproof way to soothe the soul and the stress and anxiety it can hold. At the risk of revealing how uneventful my life is, I’ll admit that the prospect of a sublimely steamy shower is what I look forward to the most at the end of each day.
However, when it comes to my skin and hair, I often find myself wondering if it’s quite as beneficial. While I might enjoy the indulgence of showering in hot water, it’s possible that my pores and coloured hair aren’t thanking me for it. Granted, I switch to a lukewarm temperature when shampooing and rinsing out my conditioner, and I prefer at least to wash my face at the sink, but is prolonged contact with steam and heated water damaging nevertheless?
Bottom line: are hot showers bad for your skin and hair? Here’s what dermatologists and haircare experts have to say on the matter.
How can a hot shower affect your skin?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but our experts say that hot showers can cause dryness and disrupt the skin barrier.
Lathering up in a hot shower is akin to washing greasy dishes in hot water, says NHS dermatologist and Klira’s medical director Dr Cristina Psomadakis. “It can completely strip and dilute the oil that’s there.” This in turn removes your natural body oils and dries out the skin while increasing transepidermal water loss.
For those suffering from particularly dry skin, the effect may be even worse. Dr Psomadakis adds that “conditions such as eczema, ichthyosis and psoriasis can be exacerbated by long, hot showers and baths.” For those prone to rosacea, she warns that these temperatures are a big trigger to flushing and redness as well.
Dr Angela Tewari, one of GetHarley’s consultant dermatologists, explains another reason why hot showers leave skin feeling dehydrated. “A hot shower causes vasodilation of the local blood vessels in your skin,” she says. “This heat then needs to dissipate and as it evaporates, it pulls moisture from the skin out into the atmosphere, thus sometimes leaving your skin feeling dry and, in some cases, quite irritated.”
This kind of damage to the skin barrier is why Dr Tewari says it’s important to use the right products to combat and repair (keep scrolling for those). She tells GH: “The skin barrier is the first port of call to reduce infection risk, avoid too much water loss from the skin and also for thermoregulation. Any disruption with the wrong skin products can contribute to inflammation, acne and perioral dermatitis, to name a few.”
Is a hot shower using fragranced products even worse?
Indulging in scented shower gels and body scrubs is one of the many joys of taking a shower. Whether this is a further hindrance to healthy skin varies from individual to individual, says Dr Psomadakis. “If you have a greasier skin type and you’re not affected by any skin condition, then maybe hot showers and fragranced products won’t have that much of an effect on you.”
But if you’re particularly sensitive to dryness or have an underlying skin condition, you’re more susceptible to damaging your skin barrier. “In that case, we do recommend that you don’t spend a lot of time in a hot temperature shower and that you avoid fragranced products. Instead, stick to lukewarm temperatures and briefer time periods in the shower, and try using a moisturising, hydrating wash without much fragrance (or none at all, ideally)” she suggests.
For Dr Tewari, the key is being aware of the impact of fragranced products on the skin and making sure you don’t neglect the necessary aftercare. “I love fragranced products; I love hot showers. However, it’s important that you hydrate afterwards with the appropriate products and don’t use body acids such as glycolic as much during the winter months, when you may be undergoing long, hot showers and baths,” she says.
Since contact allergies – which are a form of eczema on the skin – can again be exacerbated by fragranced products, Dr Tewari recommends choosing your products wisely. “I would avoid limonene or lemon-based products and also be mindful of aromatherapy products. Instead, go for those that are shea-, cocoa butter- or coconut-based to lock in moisture and ensure the skin stays soft and happy.”
How can a hot shower affect your hair?
Maria Nila ambassador and haircare expert Chlöe Swift explains that when a shower is too hot, it can damage both the outer layers of the hair and the scalp. “Water, in general, opens the cuticle up, so our shampoo can get to work removing dirt, debris and products from the strands,” says Chlöe. “Your water wants to be warm in order to effectively clean the hair, but when it’s too hot, it can be harsh, leading to dull, brittle hair.”
She adds: “It’s also important to have warm water to effectively cleanse the scalp, removing dead skin cells and sebum. But again, when too hot, it can scald and cause irritation, leading to a dry, itchy and flaky scalp. As soon as that water feels too hot on the skin, you know this is definitely too hot for the scalp and hair.”
What if I give my hair a cold rinse in the shower?
If you make a feeble attempt at counteracting damage by adding a cold rinse at the end of your hair wash, it’s unlikely to make a difference, according to Chlöe.
“I turn the temperature down just slightly when I’m putting my head under water to wash my hair,” she says. “I don’t believe in a cold rinse on the hair for a few reasons. Firstly, I hate it and want to stay warm! Secondly, your conditioner seals the cuticle back down, and thirdly, you’re most likely going to go and heat-style your hair afterwards, which defeats the point of a cold rinse.”
Instead, Chlöe suggests opting for a cosy temperature somewhere in the middle. “Just ensure the water temperature for your hair washing isn’t as hot as the temperature you’ve washed your body in, use some great products (see below) and you’ll be good to go.”
What are the best products to prevent or repair damage from regular hot showers?
Despite the potential negatives, I know that swearing off hot showers for the future will be highly unlikely, if not near impossible. So how is it possible to enjoy the warm water in the safest way possible for skin and hair?
Gentle, moisturising products are the way to go for skin, and Dr Psomadakis recommends the QV Gentle Wash, £12.49, or Aveeno’s body range, from £4. “When your skin is still a little bit damp, try to apply moisturiser as soon as possible,” she says. “Your skin needs hydration and you don’t want it to get bone dry before you apply something, so quench your thirsty skin as soon as you get out of the shower.”
Dr Tewari opts for body washes with cream formulas rather than gel, followed by body creams based on “glycerol, urea [a skin softener and hydrating agent] or oatmeal.”
As well as turning down the temperature for hair washing, Chlöe advises using formulas to combat the negative effects of tap water. She likes Kérastase’s Première range, from £32.40, as it contains citric acid, which removes excess calcium from tap water and restores dull, stiff hair.
Moisturising formulas are key for hair, too. “I also love the Matrix Food For Soft range, from £15.04, which contains avocado oil and hyaluronic acid,” she says. She also recommends using a deep conditioning treatment (such as the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, £38) weekly or bi-weekly to bring a glossy bounce back to brittle hair.
Gentle Wash
Daily Moisturising Lotion
Bonding Advanced Repairing Conditioner
Food For Soft Bundle
Elasticizer
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