Skin tips for the sauna: can extreme heat from saunas or steam rooms damage my skin? Are there precautions I should take? - Beauty Q+A

Shape, April, 2003 by Beth Janes

Q After working out, I love to relax in the sauna or steam room, but I heard they can be bad for the skin. Is this true?

A It depends, says Debra Luftman, M.D., a Los Angeles dermatologist. If you have rosacea, eczema or sensitive skin, it's best to steer clear of saunas and steam, because they can aggravate your skin condition, she says. Rosacea, which causes excessive flushing, broken blood vessels and/or acnelike red bumps, can be exacerbated when blood vessels dilate in response to the skin becoming overheated, Luftman explains. And because moist heat from a steam room draws water out of the skin, eczema (excessively dry, irritated skin) can become worse, sensitive skin can become irritated and atopic dermatitis (a rash caused by skin allergy or irritation) may itch more intensely.

But if you have normal skin, limited exposure (no more than 15 minutes at a time) isn't harmful and actually can be beneficial to the skin, Luftman says. Aside from giving you a relaxed feeling, "it dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the skin, so you get a rosy glow," she explains. Moist or dry heat can also help those with cystic acne on the face and body. "Heat tends to help soften the cysts," she adds. To ensure that the steam or sauna session isn't harmful to your skin, follow these tips:

* Shower first. Yeast on the body grows quickly when skin becomes warm, oily and sweaty (such as after exercise). Normal cleansing typically prevents overgrowth, but if you go directly into a hot environment like a sauna or steam room where you continue sweating, there's a greater chance of developing a condition called tinea versicolor, says Luftman. This looks like white or brown thin scaly patches that may itch, particularly when you sweat. (Consult your dermatologist if you think you have these symptoms; they can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription antifungal creams or sprays.)

* Slather on moisturizer afterward. Heat from a steam room or sauna can leave skin dry. After your sweat session, rinse off in a cool shower and apply a generous amount of body lotion to damp skin. Try Nivea Body Extra Enriched Lotion with vitamin E ($5; at drugstores).

* Keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water before entering a sauna or steam room and afterward to replenish fluids lost through sweating.

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