Thousands of Britons are left battling dry skin when heating systems come on during winter, but these effects could be countered by bringing plants into your home, experts have revealed.
Skin requires just as much care as other parts of the body, such as internal organs. It can turn dry at all ages, but the winter is particularly harsh on the skin due to lower moisture levels in the air.
As temperatures drop further each day, heating systems tend to stay on longer, spewing hot air that is dangerously low in moisture and depletes the skin of humidity.
Lauren Bell, founder of Cosi Care, explains: “With many off tuning on the heating now colder days have arrived, you might notice your skin becoming sore, irritated and flakey.
She continued: “This is because the central heating is dehydrating the air in your home – in turn making the skin drier. Over the winter you should increase the moisture in your skin.”
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To circumvent this risk, experts recommend bringing in two houseplants.
“Houseplants such as areca palm or spider plants have been shown to act as natural moisturisers for the air,” explains Cosi Care.
The plants add humidity to the air by evaporating water from the soil into the air, which can counteract the drying effects of central heating.
For extra precaution, drinking water is also recommended as it moisturises the skin from withihn, noted the experts.
“Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially when reaching for dehydrating warming drinks over winter,” they noted.
“These caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee combined with the drying effects of the heating, can cause our skin to become dehydrated and itchy.”
Those wishing to go the extra mile to protect their skin from the harsh effects of winter could consider soaking in a warm bath as well.
“Soaking your skin in a warm bath rather than a hot shower which can strip away at the skin will help ease any dry sin caused by the central heating,” explain the experts.
It’s crucial to avoid too much heat in the shower or bath, however, as this damages the keratin cells that are in the outer layer of the epidermis, leading to further dryness.
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