How Does Humidity Affect Your Skin?

how does humidity affect your skin

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If you have ever traveled to a different climate, you may have noticed a difference in your skin. Perhaps, you normally have very dry or cracked skin, and you realized that your skin felt much smoother than normal. Or maybe, you generally do not experience any issues with your skin, but all of a sudden your skin was very rough or dry. Different climates have a different humidity level. The effects of humidity can cause potential problems with our skin. A humidity indicator can help you determine the level of humidity and make modifications to your skin care routine to prevent any negative consequences.

Even if you do not travel, you may have noticed a difference in your skin at different times of the year. That is because the humidity in most climates can fluctuate from one season to the next. Often, changes in humidity can cause very noticeable, and sometimes itchy or painful, changes to our skin. Below, we will discuss how low and high levels of humidity can affect our skin, as well as some solutions to combat the adverse effects of these different levels of humidity.

high humidity home

How High Humidity Affect Human Skin?

Climates with high humidity can be troublesome to our skin. Typically, high humidity occurs along with hot temperatures. When it is hot, our bodies often sweat more than when it is cool. This increased sweating can sometimes cause our skin to breakout. People who have acne-prone skin are more likely to experience an acne flare up in high humidity. Sometimes, in hot, humid climates, our sweat ducts may close off. This causes moisture to get trapped under the skin which can cause a heat rash. Blisters or bumps characterize a heat rash.

high humidity skin problem

Solutions to Minimize Damage to your Skin

If you are living in or visiting an area with high humidity, you will want to take steps to protect your skin and minimize damage from the humidity. Since the increased sweat associated with a high humidity climate can lead to acne breakouts, you will want to be sure to use a cleanser on your skin. Choose something that lists salicylic acid as an ingredient since the salicylic acid will help dry out the excess oils. However, take note that using products that contain salicylic acid can cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun. You are recommended to use these products at night, and then you are careful to apply sunscreen when you are out in the sun.

If you notice that you are developing a heat rash, it may go away on its own in a few days. If it does not go away within a few days, or if you notice that the area is swelling or is painful, you should call a doctor. You should also request a doctor if you have a fever or chills associated with a heat rash.

low humidity skin problem

How low humidity affect human skin?

Low humidity generally occurs with colder temperatures. These cold temperatures cause our skin to dry out. Additionally, the cold winds with more freezing temperatures can also take moisture and oils out of our skin. This can cause our skin to become dry or even cracked. Neither of these is pleasant conditions. Dry skin can be uncomfortable and itchy. Cracked skin can be very painful. It can also be embarrassing if the cracks are on the part of your body that others see, such as your hands or arms.

Some people with pre-existing skin conditions, such as eczema, may experience flare-ups during the colder months due to the low humidity and lack of moisture. Again, this can lead to the skin being dry, itchy, or painful.

During the cold winter months, most people have their heater running. This also contributes to lower humidity and further dries out our skin.


low humidity skin problem

Solutions to Minimize Damage to your Skin

Low humidity can wreak havoc on our skin because it takes away the moisture, thus making it dry, scaly, or cracked. To combat this, you need to work to avoid losing moisture from your skin when possible. It would help if you also were sure to add moisture to your skin frequently.

To keep as much moisture in your skin as possible, there are a few important things to do. You must protect your skin. If you are going out into the cold, bundle up. Be sure to wear gloves and keep as much of your skin covered and protected from the cold and wind. Even though they are tempting, especially during the cold winter months, try to avoid taking long showers or baths. This will remove more moisture from your skin. Additionally, hot showers and baths are even worse for your skin, so try to keep the temperature of the water as low as possible.

Trying to maintain the moisture levels of your skin will only do so much in the winter. You also need to be sure to add moisture back to your skin regularly. Every day, be sure to apply a moisturizing lotion to your body, especially the areas that are more prone to drying out. If you notice that your hands are especially dry, try to put lotion on them more frequently, like each time after you wash them. Depending on the severity of your dry, peeling, or cracked skin, you may be able to get a prescription for a medicated moisturizer from a doctor or dermatologist.


low humidity effects

What is the ideal humidity for human skin?

The ideal humidity for skin is going to vary slightly from person to person. Various factors, such as age, skin type, genetics, and environment all factor will affect the best level of humidity for a person. Generally, you want the humidity level in your home to be somewhere between 30 and 50 percent. You can use a humidifier or dehumidifier to adjust the humidity in your home to find a more precise level that works best for your skin.

Before you can know whether you need to increase or decrease the humidity level in your home, you need to know what the level is. The ThermoPro TP-65 Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer is designed to not only read the temperature but to detect the humidity in a space. It can measure both indoor and outdoor humidity. You can even set it up with multiple sensors so you can monitor the level of humidity in different areas of your house or outside your home. The ThermoPro TP-65 Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer features a sizeable four-inch display panel that has bright blue backlighting to make it readable under any lighting conditions. You can control the ThermoPro easily through the touch screen interface.

ThermoPro indoor thermometer temp humidity

With using the ThermoPro to monitor the humidity in your home, you will know when you need to raise or lower the level of humidity. This, along with proper skin care, will help you stay ahead of any potential skin issues, or quickly resolve any flare-ups you experience. Since you can also monitor the humidity outside, you can adjust your plans accordingly. If the humidity outside on a given day is too high or too low and you know it will cause issues with your skin, you can choose to spend the day indoors.

Both low and high humidity present their own set of potential issues for our skin. The effects of humidity on your skin can be worrisome! It is essential to take care of your skin no matter what climate you are in. Using the ThermoPro TP-65 Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer to monitor and adjust the humidity in your home in addition to a good skin care routine will keep your skin clear, smooth, and healthy!

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