Benefits & Home Remedies of Steaming Face

August 2, 2021 Written by GP Team

Face steaming is used to deeply cleanse the face. It can be done with a steamer or with anything which is capable of boiling at least a cup of water. For the over-the-stove method, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Remove and place in an area where you’ll be able to comfortably kneel or lean over it. In this process, water is boiled initially until steam starts coming out. When dense steam starts coming out, the gas is turned off. We then bring our face in the way of the steam. For getting more steam the face can be covered with a towel also. Steam opens up the pores of the face due to which the clogged dirt gets washed out. A face mask can also be used to bring out the dirt from the pores. It is advised that after steaming the face, one should not go under an AC or a fan directly. Instead, the face should be given a chance to acclimatize with the surroundings. Take a warm shower after the steaming process.

Benefits and Uses of Face Steaming

Opens Up the Pores: Face steaming opens up the pores of the face. Due to this the natural oils of the body flows freely and also keeps the dirt and dead cell build-up away. The open pores increase the circulation of blood which adds a glow to the face.
Increase in Circulation: Sometimes in hot temperatures or warm environments, the face heats up a lot. To counter the increase in heat, the body starts sending more blood towards the face. This blood brings a gush of oxygen and other nutrients with itself and releases the heat. The whole process can be made more efficient by face steaming.
Increased Perspiration: When sweat comes out from the face, it takes the trapped dirt, dead skin cells, bacteria and any other trapped debris, with itself. Steaming the face opens the pores of the skin allowing more area for the face to perspire from.
Loosens Blackheads: Blackheads is a very real struggle. A lot of people are affected by it all over the world. Steaming the face opens up the pores loosening the blackheads and forcing them out, naturally.
The most important protein in our body is collagen. It is found in the blood, our skin, bones, muscles, tissues and almost everywhere else. Lack of collagen in the hair makes the scalp shiny which is a cause for hair fall. Steaming provides a boost to collagen production by increasing the blood flow and unclogging the pores.
Steaming is very efficient against acne. Due to the increased circulation and opening of pores, the phenomenon of acne is reduced in people who steam regularly. It furthers gives the face the ability to absorb more the next time.
The sebaceous glands, which are found in the hair follicles, release a compound called sebum which lubricates, protects, and moisturizes the skin. If the pores get blocked somehow then acne, blackheads and pimples break out. Steaming the face controls the sebum extraction.

Home Remedies with Steaming Face

Hibiscus is not just a pretty flower; it has the ability to reverse the damage to the skin caused by the harmful sun rays. Pairing it with Basil which is an excellent astringent with some anti-inflammatory properties makes steaming face a worthwhile process. For those applying a mask, slather on your facial treat directly following your steam. place your face 5 – 10 inches away from the steam. DO NOT place your face incredibly close, because you risk burning or causing your skin to swell. Do five 2-minute steaming sessions and allow your face to breathe for a few moments in between each session.
Face steaming is one of the fastest remedies for taking care of pimples. After a small steaming session of 5 minutes, let the face cool for about 30 minutes and then apply an ice cube to the affected pimple area. The pimple will no longer be there and the scar will also fade away quickly.
Skin cells start their journey at the bottom by a process called mitosis. As they start going upwards, they undergo many physiological changes and by the time they are at the top, the cells seem hard and dead. This cycle repeats every 28 or so days in an average young human but due to aging, the body can become reluctant in shedding those dead skin cells. Steaming restricts the accumulation of dead skin cells making the skin look younger.
No matter how carefully and efficiently the makeup remover has been used, there will always be some makeup clogged up in the pores. Steaming gets rid of these clogged pores and makes the skin completely clean and ready for another batch of makeup.
Steam is very effective in flushing out the cough and mucus from the body. If you are suffering from cough or cold, just add a spoon of Mentholatum or Vicks VapoRub in the water and carry on the steaming process. It will instantly open up the nasal passageway providing you with relief and getting rid of the mucus.
Adding peppermint in the boiling water gives the water power to kill certain viruses, fungus, and bacteria. It further helps by clearing the sinus passage and providing relief from sore throat. Peppermint contains menthol which helps in loosening the phlegm.
Adding Rose and Chamomile in the water makes steaming a very relaxing experience. Rose and chamomile have exceptional anti-aging properties and can cure wrinkles, fine lines, and under-eye puffiness.
Turmeric along with skullcap leaves increases the elasticity of the skin and makes it more firm. This blend of herbs gives the water an adorable smell and some anti-inflammatory properties which help in removing the acne.

Precautions to take while Steaming Face

Although it seems like a very easy process that could be done at home, steaming the face should be done carefully. Here are some precautions that should be taken while steaming the face.

Wash your face completely before steaming it. Trapped dirt, oils and makeup from the previous night can come in the way of the steam reaching the pores of the face.
Temperatures can get as high as 110 degrees while steaming the face. This heat is not very beneficial for the skin and it can cause harm also. Using too much hot water can scorch the skin.
Don’t steam when the water is still over the heat source, it can produce too much heat.
After steaming, exfoliate your skin using a mildly rough towel and apply a moisturizer.
People with a lot of pimples or acne on their faces should not use steaming. A couple of pimples or acne are fine.
Allow the face to lower the temperature naturally after steaming. Steaming is a very intense process that changes the condition of the skin temporarily. Directly going in the AC after steaming or standing below a fan can cause damage to the skin.

Side Effects of Steaming Face

Face steaming on its own is not such a harmful process, excessive steaming on the other hand though can lead to several skin complications.

Using hot water more than what is required will burn or scald the skin.
Excessive steaming leaves the skin wrinkly and dry.
Steaming can cause broken capillaries in the skin which can turn out to be fatal.

Specialists and Dermatologists should always be consulted before steaming the face.

Myths and Facts about Steaming the Face

The process of steaming is very ancient. People have been steaming their faces for ages and that’s why a lot of myths and untrue facts are present:

Steaming opens up the pores.

Biologically speaking, there is no mechanism in the body that actually opens or closes the pores. The skin expands due to the heat which results in temporary expansion of the pores too. This is the time for any action to be taken to obtain the benefits before the skin starts taking its original form( and pores start shrinking) with the dampening effects of hot steam.

“Detox” Steamer really works.

A lot of companies claim that their products have the power of detoxifying the skin of any chemicals or residue left behind by eating or drinking. This claim is a total hoax because the mechanism of our body is made in such a manner that every component of the food item we consume gets broken up completely into its constituent elements. These elements are then absorbed by the blood providing nutrients to the body. A steamer that claims to detox your whole face is going to do nothing because there isn’t actually anything left for it to detox.

Anyone can Steam their Face.

While steaming can be beneficial for most people, it can have adverse effects on people with a certain kind of skin. Skin full of acne and pimples should never be steamed because the steam aggravates the oil inside them making it worse. If there are signs of facial redness and broken capillaries, then also steaming should not be used. Steaming may cause the skin to swell and dilate the capillaries.

FAQs on Steaming Face

How often should we steam?

Steaming should not be done more than once a week. Putting your skin through the process of steaming more than once without providing enough rest can cause the skin to lose all its nutrients and get dry and wrinkle out. Due to this the skin and hair start looking bland and dehydrated. It leads to breakage and the skin often looks older than it really is.

When to exfoliate while steaming?

Exfoliation should be done after the steaming process. Steaming opens the pores and extracts the blackheads and dirt easily from the face. Exfoliating with a towel or a baby brush will remove all those blackheads which came out while steaming. It is always better to cleanse the face first because it clears the upper layer of the skin from any makeup or dirt or oil.

Is Steaming at home different than at a salon?

Salons use a steamer which is specially made for steaming. It takes in water at the bottom, boils it up and then sends the steam through a cleverly designed funnel. The funnel not only ensures the maximum use of steam but also keeps the face a safe distance away from the steam. Steaming at home with a steamer is no different, but steaming with different equipment can be a little different and complicated. There are no meters to measure the temperature and the safe distance away from the steam is entirely based on assumption.

Is Steaming dependant on the weather?

Absolutely not. Steaming can be done in any weather and pretty much any time of the day. Steaming the face depends on the temperature and mostly on the skin type and condition. Although it is recommended to stay at home six hours after the steaming because it leaves the skin vulnerable to other impurities which can render the steaming useless altogether. A doctor or a dermatologist should be consulted before steaming and if possible, do the first steaming session in front of them for better clarifications and tips.

Can steaming be done only to the Face?

Steaming is not limited to just the face. In fact, steaming the whole body once a week is a very good habit. It improves blood circulation, opens all the pores of the bodies and provides whole new energy to carry out the rest of the month. Steaming is recommended for people suffering from hair loss or hair damage. There are steam rooms made just for providing steam to the whole body.