Every morning, when you stand in front of the mirror and get ready to wash your face, you may not think too much: cold or hot water? You may have heard that some people insist on washing their face with cold water to keep their skin firm, while others opt for hot water, believing that it cleanses their skin better. So, which is better, hot or cold water? It's not just a matter of personal preference, it's about the science behind our skin health.
Washing our face is one of the most basic and frequent personal care activities in our lives, but many of us may have been unintentionally doing this simple action wrong. Wrong face washing Xi not only does not help skin health, but may even lead to worsening skin problems. Therefore, it is not a trivial matter to understand the correct way to wash your face, especially for our group of middle-aged and elderly friends who are concerned about health and wellness, it is an important daily care knowledge.
Hot water for washing: comfort or danger?
In daily life, many people prefer to use hot water to wash their face, believing that it will relax their muscles better and cleanse them more thoroughly. However, the effects of hot water washing on the skin are not all positive, especially for middle-aged and elderly skin, which requires more attention and proper care.
1. The direct effect of hot water on the skin
Telangiectasia: Hot water dilates the capillaries on the surface of the skin, which temporarily increases blood circulation, but may cause erythema or microvasodilation in the long term.
Regulation of oil production: Washing your face with hot water can be over-cleansing, stripping the skin's surface of its natural oils. This may make the skin feel clean for a short time, but in the long term it will stimulate the skin to produce more oil, which in turn will exacerbate the problem of oily skin.
2. Potential Risks
Dry skin: Hot water can disrupt the skin's natural barrier, leading to moisture loss from the skin, which can exacerbate dry skin. For middle-aged and elderly people, the skin's own moisturizing ability has been relatively weakened, so this problem is particularly important.
Allergic reactions: High temperatures may exacerbate the sensitivity of the skin and make the skin more susceptible to external irritants, which can trigger allergic reactions such as redness, swelling, itching, etc.
3. Practical Recommendations
Moderate temperature: Ideally, wash your face with lukewarm water, which will both remove dirt and protect your skin's natural barrier.
Moisturizing: Moisturizers should be used immediately after washing your face to reduce water loss.
Wash your face with cold water: an early morning salute that wakes up your skin
Washing your face with cold water is often seen as an easy way to invigorate your skin. But what is the real effect on the skin? Here, we will delve into the specific effects of cold water washing on the skin of middle-aged and elderly people.
1. The natural response of capillaries
When cold water comes into contact with the skin, the first thing that happens is an instantaneous contraction of the capillaries. This helps to reduce facial redness and is a natural and effective solution, especially for those who are prone to morning swollen eyes.
2. A firming sensation on the skin
Washing your face with cold water can give you a feeling that your skin becomes firmer and refreshed. While this firming sensation is temporary, it can provide a fresh start, especially during the hot summer months.
3. Limitations of cleaning effectiveness
Although washing your face with cold water can help shrink pores to some extent, it is relatively limited in its effectiveness in removing oil and dirt from the skin. For skin types that need deep cleansing, cold water alone may not be enough to cleanse thoroughly.
4. Gentle on sensitive skin
For sensitive or easily irritated skin, washing your face with cold water is a gentler option. It can reduce skin inflammation or irritation that hot water can cause.
5. Consideration of long-term effects
While it may seem beneficial in the short term, washing your face with cold water alone may not be enough to maintain the health of your skin in the long term. The sensible approach is to combine a mild cleanser with a moderate water temperature to maintain the skin's natural balance.
Uncover the ideal water temperature for your face: find the best guardian of your skin
In our daily lives, we often ignore the importance of the temperature of the water we use to wash our faces, but we don't know that this detail directly affects our skin health. Choosing the right water temperature is both a science and an art, and it needs to be adjusted according to the specific condition of our skin.
1. The relationship between the needs of the skin and the temperature of the water:
First, we need to understand the basic interaction between the skin and the temperature of the water. The skin, as the largest organ in the human body, has multiple functions such as protection, regulation and sensation. Hot and cold water have very different effects on these functions. Hot water promotes telangiectasia and helps to clean dirt from deep within pores, but overheated water can cause skin moisture loss and exacerbate dryness. Cold water, on the other hand, helps to shrink pores and enhance skin firmness, but it may be slightly less powerful in cleansing.
2. Warm water: the best choice for skin:
Scientific studies have shown that lukewarm water, i.e. water that is slightly below body temperature (around 35-37°C), is the best choice for washing your face. Water at this temperature is most in line with the natural state of human skin, which can effectively cleanse the skin and maintain the skin's natural oils and protect the skin from damage. For middle-aged and elderly people, as they age, the skin's natural protective layer gradually weakens, and choosing lukewarm water to wash your face can minimize the impact of the external environment on the skin.
3. Skin type guides water temperature selection:
Different skin types have different water temperature needs. Oily skin can use slightly lukewarm water due to high oil production, dry skin needs to avoid water loss caused by hot water, and lukewarm or cold water is more suitable for dry skin, and combination skin needs to adjust the water temperature according to different areas to achieve balance.
4. Practical advice:
When choosing the water temperature, it is most accurate to test the water with your wrist.
Avoid washing your face with excessively hot or cold water for a long time to avoid unnecessary irritation to the skin.
Adjust the water temperature according to seasonal and environmental changes, such as moderate warming in winter and moderate decrease in summer.