Sitting near a room heater may provide temporary relief from cold but overexposure to it can affect our skin

Dr Vikas Sharma

As the winter gets chillier, there is a reflex tendency to sit in front of room heaters whether at home or office but one needs to be aware of overexposure to room heaters. Sitting near a room heater may provide temporary relief from cold but spending long hours in front of the room heaters adversely affects our skin and body.

The problem with this heating option is that your skin and eyes absorb the infrared radiation, which, depending on the extent of the exposure, can cause or worsen health problems.

Clinically speaking

There is clinical evidence indicating that chronic heat exposure of human skin may cause alterations. The uppermost layer of skin – stratum corneum 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 atopics, elderly and infants.

The skin disease called erythema abigne is known to be caused by chronic heat exposure. It is characterised clinically by reticular pigmentation of the skin. Apart from room heaters, electric blankets, heated car seats and heating pads can also cause this syndrome.

Problem area

Skin pigmentation: The radiation exposure can cause darkening of skin complexion and worsening of pigmented areas and acne. Melasma can worsen on prolonged and direct exposures.

Pruritus: The radiation overexposure causes localised to generalised dryness and itching, especially more at night. The hydration of the topmost layer of skin gets reduced with prolonged usage of heaters.

Worsening of eczema: Certain types of eczemas are worsened with prolonged usage of infrared heaters.

DNA repair interference: Infrared radiation can heat your cells to such a high temperature that it impairs DNA repair, a self-healing process through which your body reverses cell mutation.

The right step

Although the use of room heaters can cause many skin problems, surviving winter without these can be a daunting task. While occasional use of heater is fine, its overuse or continuous exposure to low-level heat sources can affect the skin adversely. Here are some precautions that can lessen the hazardous impact of room heaters:

• Place a bowl of water in the room. This works as a vaporiser and ensures that the moisture level in the room is maintained.
• Always apply a skin barrier moisturiser when sitting near a room heater. This acts as a barrier against harmful heat waves. Not just face, but apply moisturiser on the whole body. It can also protect against dry skin.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water to maintain your skin’s hydration level.
• Cover yourself well to keep warm and don’t depend on artificial sources of heat.

(Dr Sharma is a Chandigarh-based dermatologist)