Various factors such as heat, cold, and harsh soaps can lead to the loss of moisture from the outer layer of skin. This can cause it to look dry and rough.
Most of the time, people try to maintain their skin’s moisture by using various products and avoiding over-the-counter procedures. However, controlling the humidity in their home can help prevent this issue.
Doing so helps keep the skin’s moisture intact. However, when the air is cold and dry, it can cause the skin to evaporate.
Table of Contents
Does A Humidifier Help Dry Skin?
A humidifier helps to control the dryness of the skin by keeping the indoor air hydrated. The low humidity levels can degrade the moisture of the skin that can be retained with a humidifier and retain the overall body hydration.
When the outer layer of skin is well-hydrated, it helps keep the skin free of bacteria, allergens, and irritants. However, when it gets dry, it can lead to greater water loss, which can leave the skin vulnerable to various environmental factors.
A room that’s heated can have less than 10 percent moisture. However, a humidifier can still keep the moisture in the body.
The ideal humidity level for your home should be in the range of 30 to 50 percent. It can help control asthma symptoms, relieve congestion, and improve circulation in the house.
As you get older, the lack of moisture in your skin can lead to premature aging and skin damage. This condition can cause rough, scaly patches to develop on the arms, legs, and back. It can also cause your skin to crack and bleed.
Humidifiers Vs Dry Skin
Increasing Humidity
A portable humidifier can help keep your skin hydrated. It can be placed anywhere in the house to increase the humidity in the air. If you’re planning on buying one, make sure to attach it to your furnace.
Humidity Level
A humidity level of 45 to 55 percent is ideal for sensitive skin. CNN Health advises keeping it around 30 to 50 percent.
Using Humidifiers
Although it’s not necessary to regularly use a humidifier all year, it’s important to maintain a good humidity level in the fall and spring to avoid getting too dry. It can also help lower the relative humidity in the air.
Caring for Humidifiers
Though humidifiers help improve the humidity in the home, they can also pose a health hazard. To minimize the risk, CNN Health advises washing the machine every three days.
Treating Your Skin
Although it’s important to use a humidifier to improve skin moisture, sometimes it’s not enough to do so. Instead, try applying a high-quality moisturizer and washing it with warm water.
Cracked or Peeling Skin
By increasing the humidity in the air, humidifiers can help nourish and protect the skin on your joints, lips, and extremities. They can also help prevent sunburn and improve the appearance of fine lines.
Eczema Prevention
Changing temperatures and humidity can also contribute to the development of an eczema flare-up. Having a humidifier in place can help prevent this issue from happening during the winter season.
Noses Rubbed Raw
When patients with sinusitis experience a lack of moisture, their nasal passages become clogged, which can then lead to an over-reliance on nose-blowing to clear their sinuses. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it can also create an issue with sensitivity to tissues.
How to Determine the Need for a Humidifier?
The lack of humidity in the air can also contribute to dry skin. Since there are so many products for treating this issue, many of us are more prone to using over-the-counter products instead of investing in a humidifier.
Although many people live in climates with the ideal internal humidity level, many others rely on humidifiers to help keep their home’s humidity at a proper level. In colder seasons, these devices can help lower the air’s temperature and prevent dry skin.
A hygrometer is a cheap and easy-to-use device to determine the humidity in a room. It can also tell you the ideal temperature for that room.
How to Choose the Right Humidifier?
Having the right humidifier can be difficult since there are a variety of factors that you should consider when choosing one. Some of these include the size of the room you want to humidify and the ideal noise output.
There are two types of humidifiers: warm and cool. The former uses a higher temperature to circulate the air, while the latter uses a lower one.
Warm moisture humidifiers use steam from the water to circulate it within the unit. They also use a diffuser to circulate the air. It’s important to keep the water and the containment unit regularly changed to prevent bacteria and mold from growing.
Timing
According to Zenovia, a licensed doctor, adding a humidifier to your home can help improve the appearance of your skin. It’s important to note that the air in your home is as hot as the air outside. Having a humidifier in your bedroom can help regulate the temperature of the air in your body.
Without enough moisture, the air around us can experience major water loss, which can cause the development of fine lines and premature aging. Having a humidifier can help nourish the skin and prevent this issue from happening.
Hydrating Routine
Although a humidifier is a great addition, it can’t replace a proper skincare routine. To achieve the best results, start by stocking up on products that can help nourish and protect the skin. Some of these include cleansers, serums, and moisturizers.
Instant Results
After using a humidifier for a couple of hours, you’ll notice a significant change in your complexion. According to Dr. Elyse Love, a dermatologist, it can take up to eight hours for the effects of the humidifier to become apparent. If you’re not sure which type of humidifier to buy, try it for a variety of reasons.