7 Things That Can Happen to Your Face When You Steam It Once a Week

It’s time for your face to face the facts — this is not a good time for your skin. Air pollution is increasing in many countries, smog penetrates the skin, you need sunscreen to protect it from UV rays, and processed foods don’t nurture it much at all. This is why it’s more important than ever to take care of your face and one method that works is steaming it. This can clean, soothe, and reverse damage on the skin. Did we mention that it’s free too?

Bright Side wants to share some benefits you’ll experience in your facial skin if you steam it regularly.

1. It removes and cleans built-up dirt and products from your pores.

When you steam your face, the warmth of the water vapor relaxes your pores, causing them to expand. As they open up, the dark dirt and sebum that accumulate inside them are expelled.

Often, this dirt floats in the air around us. Think about the air quality in your city or town and all the smog and gas cars produce. Think about all the moisturizers, makeup, and sunscreen you wear daily. And there’s also sebum, the oily substance that coats your skin. We all need our sebum, it moisturizes and protects our skin. However, too much of a good thing can be, well, pimples galore.

By steaming your face, we can limit the amount of sebum we have that causes undesirable results. Free your facial pores and the end result will be a clean, glowing face!

2. Your face will clear out bacteria and dead cells that cause acne.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and like most of your body, it goes through a constant process of regeneration, causing dead bacteria to build up on your face. This bacteria is perfectly healthy — there’s no reason to worry about any adverse effects it might have on your body. However, it might look a bit off. Also, the dead bacteria take up space and might not allow for proper oxygenation of your skin.

When you steam your face, you remove some of the dead bacteria, clearing the way for a more radiant look.

3. Your face will receive more oxygen.

Some people might want to avoid steaming, like those of us who suffer from allergies, such as rosacea. Again, this is due to having too much of a good thing, causing the skin to look red and irritated.

That’s because one of the great benefits of steaming your face is the blood vessel dilation that happens, giving your face a significant boost in oxygen. And for the vast majority of us, when you’re done steaming and look as red as a lobster, rejoice! It means you’ve pumped some heavy oxygen onto your face.

4. It will delay the appearance of wrinkles.

We all know wrinkles are something millions of women want to delay. Among the thousands of promised cures are 2 scientifically-backed ingredients known as collagen (which you can find in things like jelly and the Asian dish, agar agar) and elastin. If you aren’t into eating collagen, steaming can be a great alternative. Doing this to your face gives a rush to your circulation, thus boosting collagen and elastin production, giving you elasticized skin and delaying the appearance of wrinkles.

5. It will start hydrating naturally.

Releasing all that sebum and oil forces your body to produce more natural oils that moisturize the skin and up your hydration levels. Plus, steaming increases your skin permeability so it lets moisture go through it.

6. It will absorb your skincare products better.

Steaming your skin is not a full cure, but it should be seen as an essential part of your overall skincare regimen. The great thing about steaming is that you’ll get more out of all those creams, lotions, and cleansers that you often apply to your face.

This advantage is due to the enhanced circulation and oxygenation of your skin. Since the pores are free, they can absorb more. Because your flow is stronger, your face will be more reactive to products. Finally, because your skin is thoroughly moisturized, when you add serums, they will have a more substantial impact.

Do you have a million-dollar tip you want to recommend to the community to enhance their skincare routines? Have you tried steaming? What did it do for you?