Cold water will initially help constrict blood vessels in your skin to temporarily tighten pores and decrease redness and puffiness, she adds. What's more, cold temperatures boost circulation (it's your body's way of keeping warm). For your face, that might mean a healthy glow.
Cold Showers Give You Glowing Skin
Cold showers help to boost blood flow and circulation. For your skin, this translates to a radiant, glowing complexion. The best part is, you don't need to be in the cold for long to boost your brightness.
You don't really have to shower every single day to stay clean. What's more, taking cold showers is so much better for your body's skin than washing in high temps.
Cold (or at least lukewarm) showers are better for your skin
Gordon Bae, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Stanford University, tells USA TODAY. Picture trying to wash a greasy pan: Hot water is going to remove much more grease than cold water could.
Cold water tightens your pores and reduces the overproduction of sebum and excretion of acne-causing bacteria. In contrast, hot water opens them and does the complete opposite, leaving your skin more prone to irritation.
Cold water can be especially beneficial for dry or acne-prone skin, says Knapp. “If you have chronically dry skin, hot water can strip your sebum levels (oils) and exacerbate the issue, so cold water is a good alternative.”
Drawbacks of cold water for skin
In time, using cold water exclusively may result in an increase in breakouts and pimples, especially if you already have acne-prone skin. Dr. Colbert explains that for those with sensitive skin or certain skin conditions like rosacea, icy cold water could also cause a mild flare-up.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, these showers are actually beneficial for both your mind and your body. For the best benefits, incorporate cold showers into your daily routine. As this takes strength and dedication, Wim advises to gradually build up the duration and intensity.
Increases endorphins
Taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week, was shown to help relieve symptoms of depression in a clinical trial. For people with depression, cold showers can work as a kind of gentle electroshock therapy. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain.
Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep. Understanding when to take a hot or cold shower is essential.
Poor skin blood flow results in dry, dull, and aged complexion. Given that cold water improves blood flow, you're essentially helping your skin prevent premature skin aging every time you shower using cold water.
Protects Your Skin And Hair. When you shower with cold water, it does not strip your skin and hair of their natural oils. Cold water closes pores, which tightens the skin. It is also gentler on your hair and prevents hair fall.
This could be anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Some people prefer to take just a brief cold shower of around 5–10 minutes. This may also be a practical approach to cold water therapy. Several studies cite a target cold temperature of about 68°F (20°C), according to an article in the journal Medical Hypotheses.
Try to remain in the cold shower for at least one minute the first day; work your way up to 5 minutes. You can take your time getting to 5. You might try just one minute for several days in a row before you step up to 2 and such. Keep working until you get to 5.
The cons of cold showers:
It could actually make you even colder and increase the amount of time it will take for your body to warm back up. They may not be a good idea if you're sick, either. Initially, the cold temperature might be too hard on your immune system, so it's best to ease into the cooler temperatures.
According to a study from experts at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, taking cold showers for two to three minutes, once or twice a day, preceded by a five minute 'adjustment period' of slowly cooling water, could be a helpful part of relieving some of the symptoms of depression.
So, if you're still struggling after a few days, remember that not only will it get easier, but your body will actually start looking forward to it.
Beneficial for your hair
Finishing a shower with a cold blast can help lock moisture in your hair, while also tightening your hair follicles, meaning reduced hair loss. Additionally, cold water helps to close hair cuticles, which enables the hair to reflect light resulting in a high shine.
For example, cold showers can reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure, which can help you feel more relaxed. They release endorphins, “feel-good hormones” that help with depression and anxiety. And they help with inflammation in the body, which can be caused by long-term stress.
By reducing the inflammation of your pimples, you're directly reducing the size. In theory, gradually reducing the size of your pimple with ice can eventually make it go away entirely. When used on inflammatory acne, ice also has the potential to decrease redness, thereby making your pimples less noticeable.
The impurities lurking in your tap water and the high amount of minerals create a layer of soap on top of your skin and clogs your pores, contributing to breakouts. Your body wash should form a lather on your skin instead of creating a pore clogging soapy layer.
Reduces the occurrence of acne and acne scars
If this sounds like something that happens to you, a lot, then you ought to try drinking hot water every single day. It helps cleanse your system, including your pores, thereby reducing the chances of acne. This little trick will help clear out your skin in no time.