Wet heat is a bit more deceptive. We all know how great the skin feels initially when we
exit a hot shower, Jacuzzi, or sauna. It feels plump and saturated with water because the skin
absolutely loves drinking up all the water it can. After even a short soak in a tub, your skin
can swell and become engorged with water. When you leave a bathtub and your fingers are
all thick and wrinkly, it isn’t because they are dry, but because they are distorted and swollen
with water-saturated skin cells. Because the surface layer of skin likes water so much,
hot water can enter the skin, stay there, and cause a burn-like reaction. As a general rule, if
water feels hot to the touch, it’s too hot for the skin, especially the face. Be very skeptical
about facial treatments that involve the use of heat or washing your face with hot (or cold)
water; down the line, they could cause more trouble for your skin than you want.