Can I wash my face or not?
Cosmetologists recommend washing with cold water. But it shouldn't be icy. The pores become narrowed.
Dirt particles will not be able to penetrate deep into them in large quantities. Therefore, the epidermis will remain clean for a long time.
With age, the vascular endothelium weakens, which leads to the formation of a venous network on the face. To prevent the process or reduce negative manifestations, use cool water.
Many people confuse the concepts of cool and excessively cold. If you use the latter type, only negative effects will arise. The surface layer of the epidermis is damaged, the skin quickly becomes rough and peels.
Attention! Cool water has a beneficial effect on the skin; this is what you should wash your face with every morning and evening.
Helpful or Harmful?
Washing with cool water has the following beneficial effects:
- Toning the walls of blood vessels and capillaries. It becomes stronger and less susceptible to damage due to adverse factors.
- Quick awakening after sleep. The person instantly comes to his senses and becomes cheerful.
- Narrowing of pores with a decrease in the rate of their contamination. This is especially important for people whose skin is prone to acne.
- Cools the skin in hot summer weather.
- Reducing the production of sebaceous glands, which is suitable for oily skin. The shine takes longer to form.
Despite the large number of positive aspects, there are also negative ones:
Vasospasm. It appears if you constantly wash your face not with cool, but with excessively cold water. Fewer vitamins, minerals, and trace elements enter the skin, so metabolism slows down. This leads to reduced cell renewal and early formation of wrinkles.- Decreased skin elasticity. At a young age, changes in the skin are not so noticeable. If a person after 40 years old begins to constantly use too cold water, it will gradually become less elastic. Flabbiness and sagging will occur.
- Negative impact in winter . If, after the action of cool water on the skin, a person goes outside, double cooling occurs. This leads to excessive peeling and roughness of the tissues. Expression wrinkles form quickly. The same principle applies in strong winds.
On a note! It is recommended to use a contrast wash. That is, cold water is used first, then warm. This is how they act in turns. This has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, prevents the expansion of veins and the formation of a capillary network.
Antioxidants as a means to combat oxidative stress
As already mentioned, free radicals are constantly produced in the body and are constantly destroyed by antioxidants. Oxidative stress is a consequence of an imbalance in this balance. Thus, antioxidants are the body’s natural defense against aging and the development of pathological changes in the body.
Some antioxidants are produced by the body, while others enter it through food. The first are enzymes or high molecular weight proteins. They take part in the decomposition of free radicals produced inside the cell in a non-radical way or bind them so that they cannot cause damage to it. Antioxidants that come from food act like a “trap”. They donate their electrons to free radicals, thereby neutralizing them.
Each antioxidant has its own localization in the body and mechanism of action on free radicals. Therefore, the same antioxidant is not able to inactivate all free radicals present.
In the process of evolution, 2 defense systems against ROS were formed. Primary, which includes both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, prevents the formation of new radicals. Elements of the secondary system capture already formed radicals and form a complex, which is activated when oxidative damage to cellular structures occurs for their rapid restoration.
Enzyme antioxidants include:
- superoxide dismutase;
- catalase;
- glutathione peroxidase;
- glutathione S-transferase.
Non-enzymatic antioxidants are:
- high molecular weight proteins (transferrin, ceruloplasmin) present in blood plasma;
- ascorbic acid or vitamin C;
- vitamin E, especially its α form;
- carotenoids, in particular vitamin A;
- coenzyme Q10, also called ubiquinone;
- thioredoxins;
- metallothioneins;
- vitamins D, K;
- selenium;
- uric acid.
Thus, a natural way to protect against free radicals is to reduce the amount of unhealthy foods you consume, especially fast food, processed foods, etc., while increasing the amount of fresh fruits or vegetables you eat daily. The greatest amount of antioxidants is found in tomatoes, citrus fruits, nuts, grapes, fruits, berries and orange and red vegetables. It will be useful to increase the amount of fish and other foods rich in omega-3.
Which one is better to use?
Hot or cold water is equally harmful to the skin. It's better if it's a little warm or cool. Then only a beneficial effect occurs, the risk of developing early wrinkles is reduced.
When hot is used rarely (once every 1-2 weeks), a positive effect occurs:
- relaxation of muscle tissues that were tense during the day due to constant changes in facial expressions;
- gentle awakening after sleep without any discomfort.
If you use only hot water, there will be adverse effects:
early skin aging;- formation of a vascular network;
- increased inflammatory processes (vessels dilate and a large number of immune cells emerge from them);
- stimulation of the production of sebum, which contaminates the pores;
- formation of abundant oily sheen;
- a warm environment is favorable for bacteria and other microorganisms that quickly multiply and penetrate into the deep layers, forming rashes;
- if combined with a soap solution, a double negative effect will occur, leading to redness, peeling, and itching.
Washing with excessively cold or hot water is not recommended. But if a person does this once, there will be no serious harm. Therefore, it is important to use only cool tap water every day for the positive effects to occur.
General recommendations
Post-peeling care is one of the most important components of the procedure; it should not be neglected under any circumstances. It is prescribed by a cosmetologist, since only he knows what product was used during the procedure, what type of skin the woman has and what her reaction is to various products.
The specialist will prescribe professional cosmetics, which will help you spend the rehabilitation period much faster and without complications.
The client is required to follow certain home care rules.
In the first 24 hours it is prohibited:
- Expose your skin to sun exposure.
- Wash.
- Touch your face with your hands or any objects.
- Apply cosmetics or care products.
In the first 2-3 days it is recommended:
- Use products with a neutral pH value to cleanse the skin and wash your face - light foams or gels are suitable.
- Protect skin from exposure to wind, sun, snow, frost and other adverse factors.
In the next 2 weeks it is prohibited:
- Apply decorative cosmetics.
- Touching your face with your hands for no reason.
- Pluck off any crusts that have formed.
- Use scrubs.
- Go to the bathhouse, sauna, swimming pools and solariums.
- Swim in open waters.
- Change your care cosmetics to a different series or brand.
- Use homemade masks (they can become carriers of infection).
- Exercise (sweat will irritate your facial skin).
The recovery period after peeling lasts on average two weeks (if there are no complications), so you can move on to your previous care and use decorative cosmetics only after this time has passed.
What happens if you wash your face every day?
If a person does not adhere to the rules of washing with cool water, but uses cold temperatures, the following changes will occur:
- areas of peeling and redness on certain points of the face, most often the cheeks and chin;
- increased flabbiness, lethargy, but this develops over many months;
- low moisture content in the superficial and deep layers of the epidermis, especially with the additional action of sunlight, wind, frost;
- increased fat content in people with hypersecretion of the sebaceous glands.
The negative effects of ice water can be eliminated in a timely manner if you start using cool water.
But in addition you should adhere to the following rules:
treat the skin with antiseptic agents no more than 1-2 times a week;- mandatory removal of makeup after returning home, no need to wait until late at night;
- daily facial massage with gentle movements to tone but not harm;
- thorough removal of the cleanser; using soap is not recommended, it has too alkaline acid-base conditions;
- You need to wash your face 2 times a day.
Reference! If these rules are followed, negative changes due to the influence of ice water quickly disappear. The skin acquires a healthy shade, becomes elastic and toned.
Benefits of washing your face with cold water
Water is a source of vital energy, but dehydration of the body in general and the skin in particular can lead to very negative consequences. The benefits of washing with cool water have been proven in practice.
The most obvious benefits are a boost of energy that cannot be obtained by washing with hot water and cooling of the skin in the spring and summer at high ambient temperatures. Let's look at the other advantages below:
Tightens pores
Washing with cold water leads to narrowing of the pores on the face, they become less noticeable. As a result, the likelihood of rashes and various inflammations is reduced, which is very useful for oily and combination skin. The skin stays clean longer and overall looks healthier.
Reduces morning puffiness
Daily rinsing of the skin with cool water is beneficial for the face if there is a predisposition to the formation of edema. Cold increases blood microcirculation and lymph outflow, which reduces skin swelling. By regularly washing your face with cool water, you can forget about the problem of a swollen face in the morning, unless, of course, it is associated with any chronic disease.
Adds hydration
With the help of water, you can saturate the skin with the missing moisture if you choose the optimal temperature regime and do not wipe your face after the procedure, but let it dry naturally.
Reduces sebum production
Cold water is beneficial for oily and combination skin types, since under the influence of low temperature the production of sebaceous gland secretions is noticeably reduced, and the skin remains matte for a longer time.
Reduces swelling and inflammation
Problematic facial skin prone to acne and pimples is also recommended to be washed with cool water. Regular procedures reduce inflammation and are an excellent prevention for the appearance of new rashes.
Prevents the formation of wrinkles
Daily washing with cool water will help keep the skin firm and elastic and prevent the early formation of wrinkles. But, unfortunately, water alone cannot cope with an existing problem; additional cosmetics are needed to smooth out wrinkles on the face.
Washing
Reviews
Cold water comes in different temperatures. If it is close to room value or slightly lower, only a beneficial effect occurs. This is evidenced by the reviews of most people who use the method for daily washing.
When people begin washing their faces with extreme cold water or ice, they do not initially experience any adverse effects. To a lesser extent, oily shine is formed, the skin is tightened. But vascular spasm gradually appears, so areas of sagging and wrinkles form.
Numerous reviews about the use of hot water are only negative. It becomes easier for people to wash their face in the morning and they do not experience discomfort. But gradually the quality of the face deteriorates.
The best reviews can be seen about using a contrast shower and washing . The positive effect appears after 7-10 days. Most people notice increased elasticity and a healthy glow.
Which one is better to wash?
It is strictly not recommended to use hot and ice water.
Both temperature options have negative effects. In the first stages, a person feels positive changes, but they quickly pass.
The faucet in the bathroom is turned up so that the water is pleasant to the touch. Its value should be close to 20 degrees. Slightly lower values are allowed.
The best effect is a contrast shower. The alternating effect of warm and cool temperatures enhances the elasticity of the face and the walls of blood vessels. The secretion of sebaceous glands is reduced. The risk of acne formation is reduced.
Important! You can use mineral water to wash your face. It should have a slightly alkaline composition, rich in vitamins and minerals. But such procedures are done no more than once a week.
