Why you shouldn’t take a hot shower after a long flight, say experts

Don't touch those taps! A hot shower after a long flight is a bad plan, say experts. Photo / The Creative Exchange, Unsplash

A long, hot shower is normally a top priority for travellers at the end of a long flight.

Now travel and health experts have poured cold water on this plan, saying that a warm shower could be the worst thing for your dry skin and already travel-weary immune system. Don’t touch those taps until you’ve heard the arguments about why cold showers and hot baths might be the best course of action for tired travellers.

Qantas customer service manager Travys Carinci advises travellers to hold off on the hot soapy suds until at least the day after a long flight.

“I skip overly hot showers which, even though it is tempting after a long flight, is a surefire way to dry out your skin,” the Aussie travel expert told Condé Nast Traveller.

Carinci, who racks up nearly 90,000km a month for work, says she always turns the taps on cool after a day of travelling long-haul. Scalding water can strip your dry skin of its natural defences and leave you exposed to all the exotic bacteria you have picked up on your travels.

Hot water can dry out already cabin-parched skin and leave you exposed to eczema, acne and redness.

New York dermatologist Dr Julie Russak warns that harsh soaps and hot water “removes and destroys the skin’s microbiome”, which is helpful not only for skin but also general immunity.

Russak told the New York Post that instead of hot, steamy shower sessions travellers should turn down the heat.

Keeping water temperature under 15C is not only kinder to your tired skin but can also help boost your immunity and even fight jet lag.

Hot or cold showers to fight jet lag?

A shower, a scrub and a fresh set of clothes can help make you feel like a new person after a long flight. Airport showers are considered a luxury worth paying for, with lounge washrooms and Emirates’ flying shower in its $11,000 First Class cabins proving popular.

Turns out you may have been doing it wrong.

Turning the taps on cold can help revitalise you, particularly if you’ve arrived in a different time zone.

The shock of cold water increases pulse rate and blood flow to your brain and vital organs, while at the same time restricting circulation away from your skin surface.

If you’re not keen on a cold shock, a walk in the fresh air can bring most of these benefits without the pain.

“You’re not getting enough for the discomfort they bring,” says exercise physiologist Zach Carter of the Cleveland Clinic.

“Go for a 10-minute walk instead.”

If you’re arriving at night, and struggling to get to sleep, instead of a long warm shower WebMD advises taking a hot bath of no longer than 20 minutes before heading under the covers.

One thing all experts agree on is to avoid jet lag, travellers should stay hydrated. The Mayo Clinic says that dehydration is a key factor in jetlag and advises travellers to “drink plenty of water before, during and after your flight to counteract the effects of dry cabin air”.

No amount of bathing - hot or cold - can help rehydrate you after a long flight without enough water to drink.