Do you love traveling to exciting faraway places but hate how you have dry skin after flying? While traveling can be fun and exciting, flying comes with its own unique set of challenges - one being the impact of low humidity on your skin. Flying can be a stressful experience and it can take its toll on your skin.
Dehydration, dry air, and air pressure can all contribute to a dull complexion. Fortunately, there are some clever ways to keep skin hydrated during air travel that can help counteract the drying effect. With the right preparation and skincare for plane travel routine, you can prevent your skin drying out while on a plane.
Being inside an airplane takes a toll on your skin. Surprisingly, there are many elements that work against your skin, leaving it dry and dull, hence the phrase “airplane skin.”
The humidity level inside an enclosed airplane averages 20% which is significantly less than normal humidity levels of 30% - 60%. Depending on how full the flight is and other factors, the humidity level can drop even lower.
This means the high altitude and low relative humidity act like a giant sauna, sucking the moisture right out of your skin. The longer your flight is, the drier your skin becomes.
It can be tempting to avoid drinking any amount of liquid, especially on long flights, to avoid using the restroom. But that strategy can have a downside: dehydration!
The low humidity level is already depleting moisture on your skin. When you don’t replenish this moisture loss, your skin dries up even further leaving you with parched, itchy skin drying out when you step off the plane.
Catching an early flight or the last flight of the day? Either way, chances are, your sleep cycle will be disrupted. And while you can sleep on the plane, it still may not be enough.
That’s because your body relies on you to sleep long enough for it to repair itself. When you’re running on minimal sleep, your skin is unable to repair itself leaving you with dull-looking skin.
And not to mention the time zone difference depending on where you’re traveling to. It may take a few days for your body’s biological clock to catch up to your new sleep pattern.
While most opt for the window seat to catch some extra shut eye, doing so may expose you to higher levels of harmful UV rays. When you’re 30,000 feet above the ground, you’re closer to the sun where UV rays are stronger.
Furthermore, even if you close your own window, UV rays can still pass through windows elsewhere on the plane. The extra UV rays can cause havoc on your skin resulting in damaging skin barrier and dry skin.
The good news is, you can prep ahead of time to prevent your skin drying out before you even step foot onto the plane.
By the time you reach the plane, your skin should be well moisturized following the tips above. But, that doesn’t mean your self-care regimen is over. There are still additional steps you can take to prevent your skin from drying out before the flight is over.
By following these simple practical tips, you can help protect your skin’s natural barrier against outside forces while flying. The goal is to keep your skin healthy and hydrated no matter where you go!
To ensure maximum comfort during flights—and beyond—it's important not only to maintain hydration but also use products specifically designed for protecting and restoring moisture balance in the skin. With these helpful tips in mind – happy travels!