AFTER a long flight, the first thing you may want to do is take a nice hot shower to freshen up – but experts have warned against it.
Planes can be germy, with their enclosed spaces and recycled air conditioning.
Sitting in one spot for hours can leave you feeling pretty grimy once you land – and many look forward to jumping straight into the shower.
But experts have warned that taking a hot shower directly after a flight could be a bad idea.
This is because your skin becomes very dry onboard an aircraft, and having a hot shower can make matters even worse.
Dermatologist Cristina Psomadakis told CN Traveller exactly how planes dry out our skin.
“Humidity levels really drop in planes and recirculated air can contribute to overall dryness of our skin”.
In fact, the humidity levels onboard can drop extremely low.
Airplane cabins often have a humidity of around 20 per ent compared to the 40-60 per cent we are used to on the ground.
This is because outside air at 30,000 feet contains almost no moisture.
Therefore when it’s pulled into the cabin and pressurised, it stays dry.
The air is then recirculated within the cabin – without any extra moisture being added back in.
This can lead to your skin feeling more dry than usual.
If you then jump straight into a hot shower, this can dry your skin out even more.
Not only do hot showers post-flight dry out your skin, they can also come with a host of other problems.
One of which is that they can increase your chance of getting acne, explains aesthetician Rhea Souhleris Grous to Apartment Therapy.
They said: “Because dryness triggers the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, hot water can worsen preexisting acne or cause a breakout”.
Hot water can break down natural oils and kill your skin’s good bacteria, which “play a major role in keeping moisture in – and the bad stuff out”.
To help beat the feeling of “airplane skin“, you can treat it onboard instead of relying on your post-flight shower.
To retain your skin’s moisture levels, experts recommend treating your skin both onboard and also ahead of time.
“To best take care of your skin on a plane, follow a hydrating skincare routine before and during the flight” said celebrity skincare expert Sarah Akram to Vogue.
“Avoid touching your face frequently, and reapply moisturiser and face mist periodically”.
“Also, avoid heavy makeup as it can contribute to dryness and clog pores.”
Your skincare routine could include packing a small bottle of nourishing moisturiser, a moisturising sheet mask, and drinking plenty of water onboard.
And if you like a salty snack from the trolley when flying, it’s even more important to keep hydrated.
“Top this off with reduced water intake and salty foods and it can lead to really dehydrated, parched skin” said dermatologist Cristina.
So next time you’re travelling by air, make sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your flight.
The recommended amount of water for adults is two litres per day – but it is a good idea to increase your intake on days you’ll be flying.
Qantas customer service manager Travys Carinci flies on average 59,952 miles per month – and swears by drinking plenty of water.
“I start my day with a pint of water before my coffee and try to drink 2.5 litres of water every day” he told CN Traveller.
So if you are set on having a shower after your flight, turn the temperature down to lukewarm or cold – and you won’t strip as much moisture from your skin.