Air conditioning units often reduce humidity levels, leading to dry skin, eyes, and respiratory passages. This dryness can cause irritation and discomfort, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions such as eczema, asthma, or allergies.
Respiratory Issues
The cold and dry air can irritate the airways, leading to symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and throat discomfort. People with allergies or asthma may experience worsened symptoms in air-conditioned environments.
Air conditioning can also make your skin age prematurely. Your skin begins shriveling as it loses its moisture. Consequently, its elastic properties reduce. Failure to replace the water that's constantly being drawn out of your skin tissues results in dry skin that's prone to wrinkling and creasing.
It can basically dry out the mucus membranes which then in turn lose their ability to protect you from harmful bacteria and viruses. If you are suffering from a cold, coughs and low immunity these days, it may be due to spending most of your time in AC.
Over-Exposure To Air Conditioners
Anything that zaps out moisture from your scalp can contribute to hair loss. For instance, prolonged exposure to the dry air of air conditioners can dehydrate your scalp and hair, making them limp, lifeless, rough and frizzy, and can cause split ends.
Over conditioning or improper rinsing can make the hair dull, lifeless, and prone to breakage. Some conditioners contain silicones, parabens, sodium Laureth sulfate, benzophenone, cetrimonium chloride, Diazolidinyl urea, and isopropanol, which can damage hair and cause allergic skin reactions.
The removal of moisture from the air can lead to our hair and skin becoming dry and damaged, which is why those who spend their time in air-conditioned rooms may notice that their skin and scalp feel dry, tight, or itchy, and may notice white flakes.
It can dry out the skin and eyes
The cold air produced by the AC can strip moisture from the skin, leading to dryness, itching, and flakiness. Similarly, prolonged exposure to dry air can cause irritation and discomfort in the eyes, exacerbating symptoms such as redness, itching, and blurred vision.
In order to prevent air conditioner allergic cough and other symptoms, You should Keep your conditioner clean by regularly replacing the air conditioner's filters, clear the area around the outside AC unit of all dust and debris, Keep the doors and windows closed, and purchase good pre- and secondary filters.
Cold air aggravates muscle pain in those who suffer from muscle or bone-related issues. You could prevent this by adjusting the AC temperature or by using blankets and multiple layers of clothing. Doing simple stretching exercises before going to sleep would relax and loosen the muscles and join.
If you feel lazy and do not want to spend time moisturizing your skin after taking a shower, you can invest in a good body conditioner. It cleanses and hydrates your skin in the shower, so you don't have to use lotion after, unless your skin is very dehydrated.
Air Conditioning: A Hidden Culprit of Dry Eyes
Air conditioning can worsen dry eye symptoms, even though it helps with summer heat. Air conditioning reduces humidity levels, leading to a drier environment that can cause your tears to evaporate more rapidly.
Air conditioning is a major factor in lack of moisture and dryness in our skin – when our skin is lacking moisture is tends to over compensate and produce more oil which then leads to more breakouts.
When should you turn off your air conditioner? The answer is when the average daytime temperature stays consistently below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you want to save money and reduce your environmental impact, it's best to turn off your AC as soon as the weather starts to cool down.
AC (Alternating current) DC (Direct current)
While the AC can provide relief, sleeping with it on for long hours can be bad for your health. Dry eyes: AC removes moisture from the air, leading to dryness, itching, and discomfort in the eyes. Lethargy: Cool temperatures can lower metabolic rates and slow down body processes, leading to fatigue and drowsiness.
Splash water on your face before turning on the air conditioner. This is the easiest way to prevent the side effects of air conditioners. You can also use a face wash to clean your face. After cleaning your face, make sure to wipe it dry, and then apply a thick hydrating moisturizer.
Brynn Duncan might as well live in a bubble. She suffers from mast cell activation syndrome, a rare disease that makes her allergic to almost everything.
Air conditioners reduce humidity by removing moisture from the air through a process called condensation and evaporation. Setting the AC to a very low temperature can cause the room's air to become drier due to the reduction of moisture, which can lead to issues such as skin dryness, itchy skin, and eye irritation.
Absolutely, says Dr. Bansal, but not daily. She recommends conditioning one to three times a week, depending on your hair's length and dryness. Learn the correct technique to apply conditioner post-shampoo, ensuring it enhances your hair's health without weighing down the roots.
On an average summer day, a general guideline is that your AC should operate between 12 and 16 hours. However, several factors can influence this, including the outdoor temperature, desired indoor temperature, the size and type of your unit, and your home's energy efficiency.
Not just the skin, air conditioners also tend to dry out hair. You must have noticed the excess frizz in the summer months when you are more exposed to the AC. You tend to experience more hair fall, and split ends, and your hair loses its shine.
Affects Indoor Air
If you work in an air-conditioned building with poor ventilation, it can raise your risk of “sick building syndrome.” Symptoms include headaches, dry cough, dizziness and nausea, trouble concentrating, fatigue, and sensitivity to odors.
For mild dandruff, first try regular cleansing with a gentle shampoo to reduce oil and skin cell buildup. If that doesn't help, try a medicated dandruff shampoo. Some people can tolerate using a medicated shampoo two to three times a week, with regular shampooing on other days if needed.