Skin care after the sauna

How to keep your skin soft and supple

Taking a sauna remains one of the most popular ways to relax, boost the immune system and cleanse the skin. Again and again, the exciting question of how best to care for the skin after a sauna comes up. There is no general answer to this question, but there are a few tips that can be quite helpful.

Sauna is pure skin care

Taking a sauna is in itself pure skin care. Due to the high temperatures, the pores open, sebum is excreted and sweat helps to wash away dead skin cells. Furthermore, especially under the extreme conditions of the sauna, the skin strives to establish its own balance. These are the reasons why the skin feels so smooth and soft after a sauna and is ultimately even clean down to the pores.

No shower gels directly after the sauna

A thorough shower with appropriate cleaning and care products is an absolute must for many before taking a sauna. For hygienic reasons alone. After the last sauna session, however, shower gels, soaps and similar products should be deliberately avoided when showering. In the sauna the skin has cleaned itself and does not need any further care measures for healthy skin. It can be different with pre-stressed skin and special skin types.

Skin care made to measure

The need for special skin care only exists if there is an actual need. This may be the case with very dry skin, for example. In this case it is recommended to use moisturizing products without perfumes and other artificial additives. If possible, the skin should still be warm but not wet. The moisturizing lotions are usually absorbed within a few seconds and do not leave a lubricating film.

For healthy, sufficiently moist and oily skin, a special treatment with care products directly after the sauna is not necessary. This would only disturb the pH balance of the skin again, clog the pores and literally call for new sebum accumulations in the pores. It is better to leave your skin in its natural state directly after the sauna and thus give it the opportunity to form an individual balance of moisture and lipids. This also promotes the natural protective film on the skin, which not only protects against infections, but also keeps the skin supple and soft.

In case of doubt - Inform

If you do not know your skin type exactly or if you feel the need to apply special care especially after the sauna, you should consult your dermatologist in advance. Good dermatologists know very well what is good for the skin, especially after the sauna, and what is not. Furthermore, experienced dermatologists can recommend good products for skin care after the sauna. As a rule, however, you can do without them and trust the natural effects.

For regular sauna visitors it is also worthwhile to simply observe the behaviour of the skin after the sauna. Then you can quickly see how your skin reacts to the sauna and whether it is at all sensible to apply additional care products directly after the sauna. Even if these often smell good, they are no guarantee that you will do your skin any good.