Cold Showers for Acne: Do They Work?

If you’ve ever plunged into cold water, you know that it doesn’t feel so good going in, but you typically feel great getting out. That’s because cold water actually does tons of awesome things for your body, and it may help with your acne too. 

Here’s why you may want to consider cold showers if you’re breakout prone. 

Benefits of Cold Showers for Acne

Why brave icy temps for the benefit of your skin?  A lot of the answer comes down to oil. Your body naturally produces beneficial oils that, in the right amount, keep your skin nourished and glowing. Rinsing your face with hot water too frequently may strip away these oils, causing your skin to dry out. 

This can worsen acne because dry skin can clog your pores, and it can also “trick” your skin into overproducing oil, which also clogs your pores. Washing with cold water avoids this problem entirely. 

Similarly, hot water can sometimes be inflammatory, especially if you’re dealing with conditions like acne or eczema. So a hot shower can leave you with a face that looks redder than when you got in. Cool water on the other hand can help to relieve inflammation, giving your skin the chance to calm down. 

Cold water can also boost your circulation, giving you a healthy glow. And it pumps up your endorphins, allowing you to radiate from the inside out.

Some studies even show that cold water can boost your immune system, which means your body has an easier time fighting off acne-causing bacteria (not to mention icky viruses). Finally, cold water can help ease some puffiness if you wake up with larger bags under your eyes than you’d prefer. 

Downsides of Cold Showers for Acne

Like anything else in life, taking a cold shower can come with a couple of downsides. The first of which is obvious: it’s not very comfortable! However, we can tell you from experience that cold showers get easier over time and you may even come to crave them! Plus it’s an excellent way to train your willpower. 

Secondly, cold showers may not help to get your face as clean as hot water showers do. This is because warm water makes your skin more pliable, which makes it easier to get all of the gunk out of your pores. An easy solution here is to wash your face with lukewarm water before switching over to cold to rinse off. 

Adding Cold Therapy to Your Skincare Routine

If you’re not interested in taking a cold shower, you can still get the benefit of icy temperatures by using skincare products that you’ve kept in the fridge. We especially like the feel of  Yuki-Onna , our restorative facial mask, when it’s been kept cold. 

Naturally, we’re big fans of all things cold at Wild Ice, as we keep our skincare (and the ingredients that comprise it) cold until you take them home. This allows us to avoid using toxic synthetic preservatives, so your skin gets nourished without any icky additives.