What a relief it is to step out of the hot, soaring heat and into a cool air conditioned office, right? Wrong. This sudden change in ambient temperatures, form one extreme to another is stressful for the body. Facial skin is affected by this sudden change in ambient temperatures. Pollution, diet, seasonal changes and our lifestyle choices are all constantly affecting our skin. So our skin is constantly struggling to maintain itself amidst these external stressors.
Air conditioners work on the principle of drawing out humidity from the air. They are not selective about what moisture they pull out and end up pulling out moisture form our skin as well. This sends the skin’s moisture balance out of whack. What this means is that the air in an air conditioned room is very dry and arid. This makes our skin feel dry and stretchy, and can aggravate skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. Also, an air conditioner that has not been maintained can be detrimental to our health because it propagates the growth of bacteria. Protect your skin from the drying effects of air conditioning in the hot months by following some simple guidelines.
Drink water or find interesting ways to keep hydrated
Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water. Or you could opt for fresh vegetable juices; fruit juices (both without sugar) or go for coconut water. Make your own detox water by seeping cucumber, ginger and mint in a bottle of water and keep sipping it through the day.
Keep a facial mist or facial oil in your desk
Spritz your face with a refreshing facial mists to keep dryness at bay. Or apply a dry facial oil, one that is absorbed easily and completely by the skin because you do not want your skin to look oily at work. Dab over the dry patches to avoid your skin drying.
Avoid stressing out your skin
If you feel your skin is acting up in the AC, keep the strong perfumes, the heavily scented soaps and lotions away. The scented products are harsh on the skin, so opt for milder, non-fragranced products.
Take regular break from air-conditioned spaces
Your skin is highly adaptive, so when you move out of an air-conditioned space, it will change according to the environment you are in. Much of the effects of air-conditions can be reversed by stepping out from air-conditioned spaces for regular breaks. Get used to staying without switching the AC on at home for some time. Regulate the use of AC at home.
Use a humidifier
Use a humidifier when you have to use the AC for prolonged periods of time. An easy hack to substitute a humidifier is place an open bucket of water at home near the AC when it is turned on. The water will slowly evaporate and maintain the humidity in the air.