Hidden risks of hot showers

What actually happens to your skin when you have a blistering hot shower or settle in that bath

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As the rainy season rolls in and temperatures drop, many people seek comfort in hot showers and long baths. While these steamy rituals may feel soothing, especially after a long and tiring day, they can have unintended effects on your skin. So, what actually happens to your skin when you have really hot showers or baths?

Your skin is your largest organ, and has two distinct parts: the epidermis on the outside, and the dermis on the inside. The epidermis is made up of billions of cells that lay in four layers in thin skin (such as on your eyelids) and five layers in thick skin (such as the sole of your foot). The cells (keratinocytes) in the deeper layers are held together by tight junctions.

These cellular bridges make waterproof joins between neighbouring cells. The cells on the outside of the epidermis have lost these cellular bridges and slough off at a rate of about 1,000 cells per one centimetre squared of skin per hour. For an average adult, that's 17 million cells per hour, every day.

Under the epidermis is the dermis, where we have blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, pain receptors, pressure receptors and sweat glands. Together, the epidermis and dermis (the skin):