Steam Showers as a skin treatment

by admin on 13. Sep, 2010 in Uncategorized

In the process of remodeling my home, I stumbled upon Therasteam, a manufacturer of steam showers.  Their website got me thinking about the steam acne treatment that some recommend.  Unfortunately, there is absolutely no research on the effect of steaming on skin.  I’ve always felt that using a steam room several times/week had a profound effect on my skin, but it was never strictly positive.

The steam tended to clear out my pores and leave my skin looking smoother.  A close look in the mirror after 15 minutes of steaming always shows sebum oozing out of my pores.  On the other hand, it irritated and reddened my skin, as well as causing unnecessary dryness.  In general I feel that I experience more frequent breakouts when I steam.

Since we can’t rely much on science for this, I’d like to crowd source an answer.  Please post your thoughts on steaming & acne in the comments below.

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How to clear your skin:



Vitamins / Supplements

With a meal, 3-4 times per day: 3 mgs of boron, Vitamin B Complex 50, 25-50 mgs of Zinc. Once per day, with a meal: Multi vitamin, Fish Oil (Not Cod Liver Oil), 2000 IUs of Vitamin D. This alone may end acne.

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Get outside during the day!

You need daylight to suppress melatonin so you can really crank it out at night. Stay in the shade, but you must see sky. 12+ hours is optimal, an hour in the am and at noon may work. No sunburns, sunglasses or hats!

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Fix your sleep cycle

Go to sleep at the same time every night. Ten o'clock is optimal. Sleep in complete darkness, and wake up without an alarm. 8.5+ hours is best. Try to keep your evening activities calm and in relative darkness. It is nearly impossible to improve acne without sleeping properly.

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Get your exercise

Workout for 30-60 minutes, 4-5 hours before bedtime, every day. Eat meat beforehand (within an hour). You are moving Tryptophan into the brain. Additional exercise is great, but never close to bedtime. Outdoor exercise is best. Make sure you work up a good sweat.

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Eat the right things

Eliminate gluten, dairy and processed foods altogether. Cut back on soy and sugars including fruit. Use unlimited extra virgin olive oil, but no soy / vegetable / other oils. Eat tomatoes cooked in olive oil (or tomato juice), carrots, and broccoli every day. Eat sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds before bedtime.

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Other Stuff

Wash only twice/day. Shave daily (men). Don't use topical products. Use jojoba oil or moisturizer only as necessary to avoid dry skin. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Relax. Life is good!

Don’t Do This!

Avoid kelp, too much iodine (iodized salt, sea salt is ok), alcohol, drugs, harsh topical medicines like benzoyl peroxide, over-washing, antibiotics, stimulants (ritalin,caffeine) within 10 hours of bedtime, sleep deprivation, sleeping with the light on, going to the bathroom in the middle of the night (drink less water at night!).

Do Your Best

If you have acne, chances are you are violating a lot of these rules. No one expects you to fix everything at once. Make changes as you can, experiment, and see what happens. Once your skin is great, you can add back in certain foods and lifestyles that are important to you. If something turns out to be a trigger, you'll figure it out pretty quick.