If you’ve ever wondered if spending time in a sauna or enjoying a good steam could help your skin, you’re in the right place.
The truth is, heat therapy can be really great for deep cleaning your pores and leaving your face with that fresh, post-facial glow, but only if you do it correctly.
Going about heat therapy in the wrong way could leave you dealing with more redness and irritation than you began with. So let’s discuss a step-by-step skincare routine to help you use heat therapy like a pro.
Prep Your Skin Before Any Heat Session
Before we examine what is the healthiest sauna is for your skincare needs, we need to discuss proper preparation before starting heat therapy.
A great meal requires food prep before cooking; the same is true for your skin before applying heat. You want the best base possible.
- Start with a clean face – Remove every last stitch of makeup. There’s no getting around this. The combination of makeup and heat is a recipe for irritation and clogged pores.
- Enjoy a glass of water (or two) – hydrate properly. Drink water or an electrolyte drink before beginning. You’ll lose some fluids from sweating, so hydrate up front. This helps your skin glow instead of shriveling up like a parched desert.
- Take a break from chemicals – heat makes skin extra-sensitive to strong acids and retinoids. Avoid irritation. Give yourself a day off before attempting heat therapy.
During the Heat Therapy Session: What to Do
To avoid looking like a lobster, follow these steps to enjoy your infrared sauna, steam room, or facial steamer.
- Less is more – keep your sessions short. Limit your sauna and steam routines to 10 or 15 minutes. Work up to longer durations if you’re a seasoned professional with especially resilient skin.
- A little dab will do ya – bring along a soft towel and gently blot away sweat instead of wiping. You don’t want to grind salt into your skin right after your body releases those toxins.
- Hang on to that towel – steamy pores are vulnerable, so avoid touching your face directly. Dab sweat away and let your pores do what comes naturally without interference.
Post-Sauna Care
Once your pores are open and your skin is receptive, these next steps are crucial to maintaining your glow, and avoiding irritation.
Rinse and Cleanse
First, we need to reduce that heat as quickly as possible. Splash your face with cool (not freezing) water, then follow up with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser.
Protect and Hydrate
Moisture is your best friend. Choose a liquid hydrating serum with ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Give it a minute to absorb and follow up with a simple moisturizer to lock in hydration.
If it’s daytime, then a broad-spectrum SPF is non-negotiable. Heat therapy increases your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight.
Heat Therapy for Sensitive Skin, Melasma, or Rosacea
Your Skin Type Matters
Heat can trigger flares or exacerbate pigmentation in individuals with sensitive skin, rosacea, or melasma.
Try lukewarm facial steaming (around 5 minutes, max) or skip it completely if your skin starts to flush.
Using Heat to Heal
Heat increases circulation and opens up sweat ducts and pores. This means fewer breakouts and a brighter complexion, as you’ve helped your skin purge oil and debris.
When used in moderation, heat therapy could result in clearer skin. It’s also a nice detox moment after a workout, or as an extra boost to your self-care routine. However, for people with sensitive skin, a warm compress may be the best option.
Get glow, not fiery. Use heat wisely and treat your skin carefully.
