This article was co-authored by Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD. Dr. Margareth Pierre-Louis is a board certified Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, Physician Entrepreneur, and the Founder of Twin Cities Dermatology Center and Equation Skin Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twin Cities Dermatology Center is a comprehensive dermatology clinic treating patients of all ages through clinical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and telemedicine. Equation Skin Care was created to provide the best in evidence-based, natural skin care products. Dr. Pierre-Louis earned a BS in Biology and an MBA from Duke University, an MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Minnesota, and completed a dermatopathology fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. Dr. Pierre-Louis is board certified in dermatology, cutaneous surgery, and dermatopathology by the American Boards of Dermatology and Pathology.
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The body has 2 ways of removing toxins. Toxins can be removed through the kidneys or through the skin. Toxins exit the skin via sweat and this is why people use steam baths. Over a period of 5 to 20 minutes in a steam bath, the skin will start sweating out all of the body's toxins and leave you looking and feeling healthier.
Steps
Drink plenty of water before entering the bath. You'll be doing a lot of sweating in a short space of time in the steam bath and this can cause dehydration. Drink a couple of glasses of water before your steam bath to ensure you don't get dehydrated.[1]- Wash your body rigorously. Make sure you get all the dirt out from your pores. Dirt on your body can block your pores and you could develop acne or spots. Blocked pores will prevent your body from efficiently secreting toxins.
Avoid food for an hour before your bath. Much the same reasoning applies here as it does to not eating for an hour before going for a swim. Eating might make you feel bloated and might mess with your digestion, so it's best to avoid food for as long as you can before your bath.[2]- If you must eat, eat something like light snacks or fruits.
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Stretch your body before the bath. Do some light stretching to loosen up and to help your body release some of the toxins from your pores. Stretching will also increase circulation which will help toxins leave your skin faster through sweat.[3]
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Take a shower. Showering before a steam bath will help your body find its natural temperature, which will make the steam bath more effective. A warm shower is better than a cold shower but make sure your shower isn't too hot, you don't want to start sweating yet.[4]
Wear a light cotton towel. For your steam bath to be most effective, the less clothes you wear going into the steam bath, the better. The more exposed you are, the easier it will be for your body to sweat out the toxins.[5]- No jewellery or glasses either. The towel should be the only thing you wear.
Ensure you have enough time to fully relax. Do not rush your steam bath. Try not to schedule your bath before appointments or other errands.You should be able to focus on relaxing and enjoying the bath.- Turn off your phone or leave it in a secure location where it won't disturb you.
Relax in the bath. It's up to you to decide whether you want to sit down or lie down in the bath. The most important thing though is that you relax and enjoy the process. Clear your mind of your stresses and problems and enjoy the time you spend in the steam room.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. For maximum relaxation and enjoyment, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, holding your breath in between for a few seconds. With your eyes closed, you can focus on your other senses and concentrating on your breathing is a great way to relax and de-stress.
Drink plenty of water during the bath. Bring a bottle of water with you into the steam room. With such high temperatures in the steam room, you'll be sweating much more than normal and therefore your body will be losing moisture faster than normal.[6]- Drink frequently from the bottle of water to ensure you don't get dehydrated in the steam room.
Stay in the steam room for 5 to 20 minutes. If after 5 minutes you've had enough and you want to leave the steam room, then do so. However, don't stay in the steam room for longer than 20 minutes at a time as you'll put your body at risk of overheating.[7]- If you start to feel dizzy, nauseous, or uncomfortable at any time in the steam room, leave right away and find a cool place.
Cool down slowly with water and air. You might have the urge to find the coldest place you possibly can after leaving the steam room but you should resist that urge. You could put your body in shock or start shivering. Instead, find a cool place and let your body naturally cool down.[8]- Drink more water to restore the moisture you lost in the steam bath.
Take another shower. Again, you might want to have the coldest shower you can after leaving the steam room but you'll only risk putting your body in a state of shock from sudden temperature changes. The shower should restore your body to its natural temperature.[9]- Start out with a warm shower and slowly reduce the temperature until it's nice and cold.
- Some people will take a cool shower halfway through their steam bath so that the constant changes between hot and cold temperature increases the beneficial effects of their bath. This is only recommended for people who have been taking steam baths for a long time as they know what their bodies can deal with.
Relax for a few minutes. It's important that you take some time and chill out after the steam bath. Most people feel that once the bath is over relaxation time is over and it's time to get back to the hustle and bustle of the world. This ruins their relaxation time.- Take a few minutes and allow yourself to chill out and relax. You have already ensured that you have time to fully relax and you might as well enjoy this time.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionWhy does steam temporarily open your pores?
Margareth Pierre-Louis, MDDr. Margareth Pierre-Louis is a board certified Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, Physician Entrepreneur, and the Founder of Twin Cities Dermatology Center and Equation Skin Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twin Cities Dermatology Center is a comprehensive dermatology clinic treating patients of all ages through clinical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and telemedicine. Equation Skin Care was created to provide the best in evidence-based, natural skin care products. Dr. Pierre-Louis earned a BS in Biology and an MBA from Duke University, an MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Minnesota, and completed a dermatopathology fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. Dr. Pierre-Louis is board certified in dermatology, cutaneous surgery, and dermatopathology by the American Boards of Dermatology and Pathology.
Board Certified DermatologistOur skin is covered in a waxy layer and what can help open it up and make it more amenable is warming up the skin and hydrating it. Steam is basically a gas form of water, so if you can put warm gas up to the skin, that will further hydrate your skin.
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Tips
- Try moisturizing after taking a steam bath. Warming up your skin can help open it up and make it more amenable to hydration. [10]Thanks
Warnings
- The first time you take a steam bath, try to not stay in there for more than 10 minutes. Your body should get used to the experience over time and you shouldn't go straight for the 20-minute maximum.Thanks
- Pregnant women, those with heart disease, and those with high or low blood pressure should not take steam baths. If you have another medical condition, ask your doctor before taking a steam bath.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320314.php
- ↑ https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/facilities/indoor-facilities/steam-room.html
- ↑ http://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/rehabilitacion-bal/steam__bath.pdf
- ↑ https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/facilities/indoor-facilities/steam-room.html
- ↑ https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/facilities/indoor-facilities/steam-room.html
- ↑ https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/facilities/indoor-facilities/steam-room.html
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320314.php
- ↑ https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/full-steam-ahead-the-benefits-of-a-steam-bath.html
- ↑ https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/facilities/indoor-facilities/steam-room.html
- ↑ Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD. Board Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview. 15 May 2020.
About This Article
If you want to take a steam bath, remember to drink plenty of water before and during the bath to ensure you don’t get dehydrated. You should also avoid eating for an hour ahead of time or else you might feel bloated. Before getting into the steam bath, take a warm shower and wrap yourself in a light cotton towel to prepare your body to sweat out its toxins. In the bath, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. This will allow you to relax, destress, and enjoy the process. If after 5 minutes you feel like you’ve had enough, you can leave the steam room. You can stay in longer, however, don’t sit in there for longer than 20 minutes or you put yourself at risk of overheating. If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable at any time during your bath, leave the steam room and cool yourself down. For more tips, like how to recover from a steam bath, read on.
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