Put the heat on, carefully

Ravi Mittal

As winter sets in and temperatures drop south, most of us prefer to sit in front of a room heater whether at work or at home, and even while snuggling in a warm quilt. 

Sitting near a room heater may provide temporary relief from cold but its prolonged use may result in health problems. Because of the comfort provided by heaters, people often undermine the harmful effects these can have on the body. Using room heaters for long hours and spending too much time in front of these adversely affects our skin and body. 

According to a study, continuous use of a room heater results in lowering the moisture levels of the body and it also affects the skin. It can cause burning, redness and rashes on the skin. There are other harmful effects as well. 

Not good for skin

Composed of seven layers stacked one above the other, our skin is very sensitive. The uppermost layer that remains exposed to the environment is called epidermis. It is sensitive to temperature. Exposing skin to high heat and extreme warm temperature may cause burning of the epidermal layer and can induce dryness and rashes as well. 

Excessive use of heaters can also cause reduction in moisture levels. An exposure to this dry air leads to redness and rashes on the skin. 

The situation becomes even worse for the infants. Their baby skin is extremely sensitive. When exposed to harsh heat waves from room heaters, there’s redness on their skin. It can even cause nasal bleeding in some babies.

Toasted skin syndrome: During winter, use of room heaters, electric blankets, etc. increase in most houses. A long exposure to heat may result in a condition known as toasted skin syndrome. Apart from room heaters and electric blankets, heated car seats and heating pads can also cause this syndrome. In this condition, the epidermal layer of the skin and the superficial veins under this layer can cause dark spots on the skin, something similar to charring of paper when it turns black before burning. Over a period of time, it may increase the risk of skin cancer. 

While occasional use of heater is fine, its overuse or continuous exposure to low-level of heat sources may affect the skin adversely. Use generous amounts of some thick moisturising lotion so that the skin doesn’t dry up. It also reduces the effect of heat on the skin. 

— The writer is managing director, Skeyndor, India

Tips to follow

Although use of room heaters can cause many skin issues, surviving winter without these can be a daunting task. Here are some precautions that can lessen the hazardous impact of room heaters:

• Place a bowl of water in the room while the heater is on. This works as a vaporiser and ensures that the moisture level in the room is maintained.
• Apply a thick layer of thick moisturiser when sitting near a room heater. This acts as a barrier against harmful heat waves. Not just face, but apply moisturiser on whole body. It can also protects against dry skin.. 
• Drink 7-8 glasses of water to maintain skin’s moisture level.
• Cover yourself well to keep warm so that you don’t have to depend on artificial sources of heat.