Tips to Keep Healthy Skin in Air-Conditioned Rooms

 

Whether you are working hard in the office or lounging peacefully at home, nothing quite compares to the comfort air conditioners bring so much that it has become a necessity in our everyday lives, especially on a hot summer day. This cold burst of air, although may provide just the quick relief you need to cool off from the blazing outdoor heat, can actually deplete your skin of its natural moisture. More than they are meant to reduce heat, air conditioners work to reduce the humidity in the room, making your skin lose out on moisture and make it more prone to skin dryness. This does not, however, favor our skin as they are made to naturally thrive on water. ¹

Studies show that sitting in an air-conditioned room for prolonged periods of time can cause your skin to be excessively dry. As air conditioners suck the moisture out from the air, they also reduce your skin’s moisture in the process. ² If you have ever wondered just how air conditioners affect the condition of your skin, continue reading.

Air Conditioners' Effects on the Skin
 

Skin Dryness and Itchiness

Inadvertently, air-conditioned rooms directly affect the moisture and humidity in indoor environments. So when it comes to the type of moisture they get rid of, being selective is beyond their control. The way it affects your skin’s epidermis not only contributes to your skin becoming very dry but also paves the way for it to be insufficiently hydrated. This pull of moisture will eventually reach the inner layers of your skin and stretch it. Respectively, this will make it feel itchy, flaky, and dry. ^3,4

Premature Skin Aging

The level of skin hydration and moisture are what maintain the skin’s natural elasticity. Because air-conditioners deplete the room’s humidity, it will also make your skin start to shrivel. Over time, as your skin continues to go through this constant change and loss of water from within its skin tissues, it will be more prone to developing premature signs of skin aging like wrinkles and creases. ^3,4

 

Skin Disorders and Degeneration

The abrupt shift in temperature from the sweltering outdoor heat to the cool burst of air from indoor air-conditioned rooms, leaves your skin confused and stressed. This sudden change affects your skin’s regenerative capability. What is more, certain symptoms of skin disorders may tend to develop like redness, rashes, and peeling. This is especially bad for those who are suffering from existing eczema as it aggravates it even more. Over time, your skin struggles to find the balance due to the lack of skin moisture and will eventually leave it becoming undernourished, dull, and unstable. ^4,5

Skin also loses its natural ability to retain moisture over time. That is why it is so important to keep your skin hydrated. Essentially, preventing water loss can complement protective oils naturally found in the skin, including other building blocks within it like ceramides. Incorporating the right skin care products in your daily skin care routine will truly have a big impact on keeping your skin moisturized and healthy even in air-conditioned rooms. ⁶

How to Combat Unfavorable Effects of Air Conditioner on Skin

Drink Water and Find Interesting Ways To Keep Hydrated

This might just be one of the oldest tips we have all grown up with and it goes without saying. For the longest time, we have been told to drink a plentiful amount of at least eight glasses of water a day. Albeit having been taught this, many still struggle to do so. It is understandable that it can be easy to forget this when you are not sweating outside, but your skin will thank you for it in the long run. If you still find it difficult, get creative and find interesting ways to stay hydrated like opting for fresh fruit or vegetable juices (both without sugar). Another thing you could do is mix in cucumber, ginger, and mint in your jug and keep on sipping it throughout the day. ⁷

Keep a Face Mist and Spritz Your Face as Needed

Spritzing your face with water or a refreshing facial mist can help keep skin dryness at bay. You can easily retain the moisture in your face when you do this technique every one or two hours, or as needed throughout your day. You can even go so far as concocting your own personal hydrating tonic for your skin by adding some rose water, glycerine, and aloe vera gel to the mix. ⁸

Decorate the Room with Plants

Since air conditioners dry your skin by removing humidity in the room, one of the more plausible ways to counter is by simply decorating the room with plants to attain a higher level of humidity. Because they are part of nature, they work wonders in contributing to room moisture in the atmosphere. So whether they are planted in soil or propagating in water, that extra moisture can be absorbed in the room whenever the air conditioner begins to dry. Placing several plants, with larger leaves the better, here and there is an effortless way to reduce dryness and create a more attractive and breathable place.^9,10

Add a Humidifier to Your Desk

Taking advantage of humidifiers is an effective solution against rooms with low humidity as these products are specifically designed to increase the moisture of any room. Although many people believe only one humidifier is needed for a single room, it is recommended to humidify rooms or workplace offices covered by air conditioners. ¹⁰ Using such devices will add moisture to any indoor air and may help alleviate skin dryness and its symptoms. ¹¹

 

Look for Skin Care Products to Help Hydrate Your Skin

There is nothing wrong with cooling yourself in air-conditioned rooms, but being mindful of your skin’s moisture is an important part of keeping healthy. If you feel like your skin is becoming dry due to low levels of humidity, you can still enjoy staying cool when you use Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy. As skin experts with over 165 years of skin care expertise, Physiogel’s products are scientifically formulated with BioMimic TechnologyTM which naturally mimics the skin barrier to help increase skin moisture absorption and protect against recurrent dryness. It is also lightweight with the feel of a light emulsion cream giving lasting moisture of up to 72 hours. ¹²















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References:

^{1 Bhattacharya, S., 2022. Is Air-Conditioning Ruining Your Skin? Here's The Truth. [online] iDiva. Available at:
<https://www.idiva.com/beauty/skin/is-air-conditioning-really-ruining-your-skin-here-is-the-truth/18000058> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
2 Doctor.ndtv.com. 2022. Top 6 Side Effects Of Air Conditioners You Must Know. [online] Available at:
<https://doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy/top-6-side-effects-of-air-conditioners-you-must-know-1782463> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
3 Jaising, P., 2022. How Air Conditioning Affects Your Skin. [online] Be Beautiful India. Available at:
<https://www.bebeautiful.in/articles/how-air-conditioning-affects-your-skin> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
4 Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. 2022. How Air Conditioning Can Affect Your Skin. [online] Available at:
<https://hartmanbrothers.com/blog/air-conditioning-can-affect-skin#:~:text=Air%20conditioning%20systems%20tend%20to,stretchy}

^{5 Beyoutiful Magazine. 2022. How air conditioning affects your skin!. [online] Available at:
<https://beyoutifulmag.com/si-ndikon-ajri-i-kondicionuar-ndaj-lekures/?lang=en> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
6 New York Times. 2022. How to Build a Skin Care Routine. [online] Available at:
<https://www.nytimes.com/guides/tmagazine/skincare-routine> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
7 Femina.in. 2022. Is air conditioning harming your skin? [online] Available at:
<https://www.femina.in/beauty/skin/how-air-conditioning-affects-your-skin-86958-1.html> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
8 Khan, S., 2022. Sleeping in blasting AC? Do these 6 things to protect your skin. [online] Healthshots. Available at:
<https://www.healthshots.com/beauty/skin-care/6-tips-to-protect-your-skin-from-the-side-effects-of-air-conditioners/> [Accessed 7
July 2022].
9 Urdesignmag. 2022. Air Conditioner And Its Effect On Skin — urdesignmag. [online] Available at:
<https://www.urdesignmag.com/tips/2020/09/01/air-conditioner-and-its-effect-on-skin/> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
10 Air-con.com.sg. 2022. How To Reduce Dryness In Air Conditioner Room. [online] Available at:
<https://www.air-con.com.sg/articles/how-to-reduce-dryness-in-air-conditioner-room.html> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
11 Medicalnewstoday.com. 2022. 5 humidifier uses: Benefits and risks. [online] Available at:
<https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322228#six-humidifier-uses-and-their-benefits> [Accessed 7 July 2022].
12 A randomized, single centre, single-blind, parallel, home use, cosmetic study to investigate the safety, efficacy and acceptability of W0154 Cream in subjects with moderately dry to very dry skin and signs and symptoms of redness, irritation and inflammation,
2012, Dr. Suzana Louth [Data on file]}