Why does the skin tighten after showering? With these 10 tips, your skin will feel great again

What can I do against the feeling of tension after showering?

1. Don't shower too often

It's actually a real trend - which for once makes a lot of sense: shower only once a week. It doesn't have to be that strict. We would say: Make it dependent on the situation.

Some might still turn up their noses if someone only showers 1-2 times a week. It's healthy for our skin and you don't have to stink. The less oil you wash off your dry skin, the more moisture stays in the skin.

Thousands of good microorganisms live on your skin, which prevent disease-causing viruses and bacteria from settling. This is your skin microbiome. Showering too often washes away this microbiome and throws it off balance. If you wash your skin less, your skin won't be as dry.

Give it a try: shower once or twice a week with mild detergents. If necessary, you can wash the armpits and the genital area separately with a washcloth and mild washing lotion or water.

In this video by Puls, Ariane Alter tries out what it's like to shower only once a week. She also talks to experts about why showering less often is good for your skin.

2. Shower with lukewarm water

The shower water is best at a maximum body temperature, i.e. 36-37 degrees or slightly below. Water that is too hot robs your skin of moisture. Ice-cold water is also not ideal for dry skin because it would cause too much stress.

3. Don't shower too long

You should shower for a maximum of 15-20 minutes. Everything below is of course even better. Excessive exposure to water will strip your skin of moisture as the heat and water wash away the oils. And that fat is your own cream that tries to keep moisture in the skin.

4. Use only mild detergents when showering

For the sake of your skin, it is best to only use pH-neutral washing bars (syndets) or mild shower gels and no soap when showering, because this would dry out your skin even further and destroy your microbiome . If you have very dry skin, it makes sense to switch to a nourishing shower oil to prevent dehydration while showering.

5. Apply sunscreen before you shower

Lotion before showering? Sounds strange, but makes sense for very dry skin. Suppose your facial skin is very stressed right now because wind, weather and other stress have taken their toll on your skin. The steam in the shower is so drying that you don't know how you're supposed to take a shower - without constantly tensing your skin. Wash your face briefly with water or a mild cleanser and then apply a non-irritating cream . The cream layer protects your skin from the water and steam, so your skin doesn't get as degreased. This keeps your skin moisturized and doesn't dry it out as quickly. Applying lotion to your legs before you shower can also help with dry, scaly legs.

6. Get out of the bathroom quickly

Get out of the bathroom as quickly as possible or air it out so that you get as little water vapor as possible.

7. Dry yourself properly

Pat your skin dry and please do not rub. Because rubbing has a damaging effect on your skin, like a mechanical peeling . It is important, especially after the shower, that you gently pat your skin dry. In the best case, you leave a bit of residual moisture on the skin if you want to apply lotion afterwards.

9. Cream your skin after showering (if it needs it)

Apply cream to your slightly damp skin so that body lotion and face cream can penetrate better. Because creams are best applied to damp skin, because this way you can lock in the remaining moisture in the skin. If your skin is still very dry after the shower, despite mild facial cleansing, you can moisturize your skin with a serum. For example, you can use the mild and moisturizing serum spray for your face and hips, over which you can apply a low- irritant cream . If your skin is very dry, you can additionally enclose the cream with a face oil to keep the maximum moisture in your skin. Do not forget to cream your body with a nourishing body lotion if your skin is tight not only on your face but also on your body.

10. Don't bathe too often

A relaxing bath is nice though. However, dry skin doesn't like it that much if you do it too often. Your skin softens in the water and becomes wrinkled. Have you ever looked at your fingertips after a long, long soak? These then often show grooves and are very wrinkled. This is because you washed the oil off your skin, allowing the moisture to escape. At least now it's time to get out of the bathtub. It is best to bend forward and not bathe too often or for too long.

Swimming tip:

Bathing is for the soul and unfortunately it's not ideal for skin health. However, you can make your bath healthier. Put some oatmeal in a cotton stocking and hang it in the tub like a tea bag. There should be an oat bath. Oats are moisturizing because they contain beta glucan. Furthermore, the secondary plant substances, more precisely the avenanthramides, which occur naturally in oats, inhibit inflammation and itching in dry skin. Incidentally, colloidal oats are best suited for this. For a bit of wellness and to make bathing healthier, organic oat flakes from the kitchen are also a great home remedy.

Learn to love your skin

Hopefully, these 10 tips will help you get out of the shower more relaxed next time. Don't get upset if the tightness doesn't go away completely. Dry skin can take a lot of care. In contrast to oily skin, however, it tends to have finer pores. Every skin type has its advantages and disadvantages. Learn to deal with the disadvantages and appreciate the advantages. Skin can be as different as we humans. And that's wonderful. Always love your skin because it will protect you for a lifetime. You should never forget that when your skin gets tight and flaky again.

How is your skin after showering? And what are your tips when the skin is really tight? Feel free to write it in the comments.