The humidifier can be very useful especially in the winter months when the air is really dry outside and inside your house. Even during summer when you use the air conditioner in your room or office the air can be very dry. This dry air causes eye and nose irritation, sore throat, itchy and dry skin even in healthy people as the airways become dry and there is no moisture in them.
The best solution is to use during this time is a humidifier in your home and office. So when the air in your house is too dry, these humidifiers bring moisture into the air. As you know very dry and humid air can affect your health humidifier can help with all these health issues and benefit your home in many ways.
In this article, we will discuss about all the benefits and risks of a humidifier. Also in what ways a humidifier can be useful to you, to understand keep reading further.
Benefits of Humidifiers for Skin
Prevents bacteria and viral infections
There are some kinds of bacteria and viruses that arrive at both high and low humidity levels. The microorganisms present in bacteria can cause skin infections that degrade skin health and the quality of the skin. Research (R) shows that these bacteria and viruses survive less likely at a possible humidity level of 30 to 60%. Hence it is said that a humidifier is helpful in balancing out the humidity level, by preventing the microbes from affecting the skin.
Preventing influenza
Humidifiers may help to reduce the risk of catching the flu, this was noted by authors of the research (R) they found that adding the influenza virus to the air with a restorative cough, these researchers found that humidity levels above 40 percent rapidly deactivated virus particles, making them much less likely to be infectious.
Helps Reduce Water Loss From Skin
The skin barrier function reduces because of low humidity levels(R). The weather conditions cause the lipids and oils that bind the skin cells together to evaporate and also expose the inner layers of the skin to exterior skin problems. So when the skin barrier function weakens it causes more water loss from the surface of the skin, making the skin rough and dry. When the skin becomes too dry it also leads to many skin issues in the future.
Reduces snoring
When the air is dry, while breathing you may feel the airways of a person be less moisturized, which can make a person so snore much more. That is why when the amount of moisture in the air increases, the moisture in your airways is sufficient to cause less snoring. Adding humidity to the air by running a humidifier at night may help to reduce the snoring of a person.
Protects from allergy
As you know now that low humidity levels also affect the skin barrier function. As the barrier is weakened these bacteria and allergens penetrate into the skin. This results in the risk of skin diseases and conditions in people with atopic dermatitis which is when your skin becomes red and itchy. As the humidifier helps by increasing the humidity levels it benefits your skin and protects it from allergy.
Keeps the skin moisturized
You may have always noticed that your skin, lips, and hair become dry, rough, and fragile in the winters. The cold air outside dries out your skin and makes it rough. So when you opt for heating units these heating units may pump out hot, dry air through in the house that can result in skin dryness, roughness, itchy, or flaky. Using a humidifier to add moisture to the air inside the house or office can help to reduce the occurrence of dry, rough, and cracked skin.
Benefits for the home
Humidifiers can benefit your home as they bring moisture into the air. Humid air can may you feel warmer compared to dry air during winters. All the plants which need moisture also become more vibrant, the floors which are made of wood or furniture can also last longer because of the moisture in the air. The moisture in the air pumped by humidifiers also helps to prevent the wallpaper from getting cracked and static electricity from building up.
Help to manage Skin Disorders
When to spend a lot of time in air-conditioned rooms, the air from the air conditioner is usually dry which may cause skin problems (R) like senile xerosis that is dry skin, and atopic dermatitis which results in the skin being red and itchy adding to the skin roughness which can worsen it all. Humidifiers keep the dry air moist and also keep such skin problems from aggravating.
A study shows (R) that using a humidifier that pumps tiny water particles helps you to keep better skin hydration while improving the function of your skin barrier that results in reducing transepidermal water loss.
How to Use Humidifiers to Improve Skin Quality
There are certain ways that can be used to improve the quality of your skin and benefit it. Read them below to find out about them
- Always keep the humidifier clean. Not all humidifiers are germ-free and they may contain microorganisms or dirt particles that can affect the health of your skin and cause problems. Recommended to clean portable humidifiers every third day. You can empty the tank and may use a brush or scrubber to clean them, make sure that you unplug the device before cleaning. See for any scales, deposits, or film formed on the sides and remove them which are present near the tank or on interior surfaces. Keep is the surface dry after cleaning.
- Add water to the humidifier. Use bottled or distilled water as it contains fewer microorganisms and lower mineral content which can be great.
- It is recommended to not use the humidifier in all climatic conditions. Use it only to balance out humidity and moisture conditions.
- All of us notice that the skin becomes dry and rough at low humidity. To make use of a humidifier that can benefit your skin always switch on your humidifier prior and then start with your daily skincare routine. This helps your skin to retain moisture for a longer duration.
- Use cartridges and filters which are de-mineralized.
Is Sleeping With a Humidifier Good for Your Skin
You can say that using a humidifier while you are sleeping is perfectly okay. By keeping the humidifier on it might even help you to sleep better if you have sinus issues, dry and itchy skin, cold congestions, cracked lips, and rough skin. Besides, applying your skincare products and sleeping with the humidifier on can even help you to sleep better and have uninterrupted sleep.
Humidifiers improve skin moisture and may even keep your scalp free of itching or dryness due to the moisture in the air. In fact, it is even recommended to switch on your humidifier prior and then start with your daily skincare routine. As you see sleeping with a humidifier has more benefits it helps to improve many skin issues too
Possible Risks of Using Humidifier for Skin
The humidifier does have many benefits but there is some risk factor that you should consider.
Too much humidity
Humidity at some levels can be good and tolerated, but too much humidity can make breathing difficult and also worsen some of the allergy symptoms. Allergy symptoms include are mites caused by dust, mold, and mildew, which thrive in damp environments. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (R) it was reported that indoor humidity levels should be between 30 and 50 percent. Too high a humidity level above 60 percent can be bad and too much. One should consider using a humidity meter or hygrometer, which also has a humidifier in the house or office. Although, some humidifiers have built-in ways to measure humidity, others require a standalone meter.
Dirty humidifiers
As you know humidifiers are responsible to turn water into vapor in the air which is breathable. If the unit’s water tank is dirty, the vapor a person breathes will be affected and dirty that can be harmful to you. If you notice your tank is dark and humid, it becomes an environment for germs and bacteria, to prevent this issue one must always clean the dirty humidifier
To add to this you must always clean a humidifier as it is directed by the manufacturer. Also, the water in the humidifier should not be kept in it for too long. If the humidifier has a filter, be sure to replace it more often.
Using hard water or tap water
Many manufacturers recommend using only pure, distilled, or clean water in their humidifiers. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the tap water is not filtered and it contains higher levels of minerals and other particles compared to purified or distilled water. Secondly, the minerals from hard tap water can build up in the machine, which can cause the humidifier to wear down faster than expected. Lastly, the humidifier can also emit these minerals into the air, and a person may inhale them and these particles may also settle around the room like dust.
Other risks
Although a humidifier is said to help with dry sinuses, it can also be harmful. Humidifiers make the environment humid which causes dust mite and micro-organisms growth that aggravates it, so if people are allergic to dust and micro-organisms, and if they are facing asthma issues, using a humidifier could worsen these conditions.
There are other risks that come along with using a humidifier which include steam burns from units caused because of the use of heat from it and the growth of micro-organisms that accumulates moisture on the walls and ceilings. Anyone using a humidifier should avoid getting too close to the machine. When using a humidifier in a room with a child, it is important to supervise them and take necessary security measures.
Types of humidifiers and how they work
There are types of Humidifiers that are available
Central humidifiers- Generally helpful in humidifying the entire house. These are built into heating and air conditioning systems.
- Console humidifiers– Ideal for floor use and are enclosed in cabinets.
- Impeller humidifiers– Comes with a high-speed rotating disk that generates cool mist.
- Portable humidifiers– These are compact in size and they can be transported from one place to another.
- Evaporative humidifiers– Using a fan they send moisture into the air and blow out air through a wet absorbent material like a belt or filter.
- Ultrasonic humidifiers– Emits and creates cool mists through ultrasonic sound vibrations.
- Steam vaporizer humidifiers: Make use of an electrical heating mechanism to heat water. The warm mist formed is them is cooled before exiting the humidifier.
Conclusion
A humidifier can be beneficial in many ways for skin, body, and home. It will help to protect the skin from water loss and maintain the skin barrier function. The moisture from the humidifier keeps the skin hydrated and reduces the risk of dry skin issues. Clean the humidifier often and make sure to use clean and distilled water. It is also safe to keep a humidifier on while sleeping as it will prevent dry, itchy, or rough skin.
Along with many benefits, you must know that there are some risk factors for using a humidifier. One must take necessary precautions and consult a doctor if you have any respiratory issues. Hope this article has helped you to understand and provide all the information related to the humidifier. Thank you for reading.
