A viral TikTok video in which a man said his wife likes her shower water “just below boiling” drew fresh attention to the dangers of scalding showers. “If you’re taking excessively too hot showers, this is for you,” said Dr. Max Maddahali, a German vascular health specialist who responded on the platform, according to the Mirror.
The clip unleashed a stream of admissions. One commenter wrote that a fiancé often fainted after “boiling” showers; another user said, “Yes, I have definitely fainted a few times,” wrote the Mirror. A third vowed to cool the water while washing hair but “remain committed to enjoying hot showers” on the rest of the body, and a fourth confessed to frequent dizziness.
Maddahali said extremely hot water rapidly dilated blood vessels, dropped blood pressure, and could trigger fainting, according to FN News. “This drop in blood pressure could result in accidents where a person might hit their head on the bathroom floor or wall, potentially threatening their life,” he said. He advised anyone prone to light-headedness to add non-slip mats, grab bars, or even a shower chair, and suggested thermal locks that capped water temperature.
“The excessively hot water can dilate blood vessels under the skin, leading to redness and irritation, and the body naturally tries to cool itself,” Maddahali told the Mirror. The same dilation explained why many people felt woozy the moment they stepped out of a steamy bathroom.
Skin, the body’s largest organ, suffered further damage. “Hot water causes dryness and itching by destroying the skin’s natural oils,” Maddahali said to the Mirror. Research cited by Infobae found that showers above 40 °C drove up transepidermal water loss and disrupted the skin’s acid mantle. As heat activated cytokines and histamines, itchiness appeared within minutes, and in severe cases chronic inducible urticaria—the pruritic welts that differ in color by skin tone—developed.
Those who already managed dermatitis, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, or acne faced extra risk. Maddahali told the Mirror that very hot water “negatively affect[s] their showering experience.” Sky News Arabia reported that the higher pH fostered harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus while disturbing beneficial skin staphylococci.
Hair strands fared no better. “Constant exposure to hot water negatively affects not only the skin but also the hair. Under the influence of high temperatures, hair loses moisture and becomes brittle,” Maddahali said, according to the Mirror. He added that dyed hair lost color faster, a point echoed by FN News, which noted that the same stripped oils normally kept strands supple.
The cardiovascular system also paid a price. A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that prolonged exposure to very hot water lowered blood pressure yet raised heart rate, Infobae reported. Sky News Arabia urged people with heart disease to consult physicians before indulging in extended soaks.
So, how hot is too hot? Mira Showers placed the safe range at 37 °C to 38 °C and warned that staying longer in hotter water could elevate core temperature enough to cause dizziness and even heat stroke, reported the Mirror. A quick test: if the bathroom mirror fogged as soon as the tap ran, the water probably exceeded the safe range.
Lowering the temperature did not have to ruin the ritual. Mira Showers recommended lukewarm or cooler water, especially during winter when the urge to crank up the heat peaked, wrote the Mirror. Infobae suggested applying sorbolene or other hypoallergenic moisturizers to damp skin to rebuild the barrier and curb water loss. The outlet also advised checking the temperature with the wrist—the arm’s most sensitive patch—rather than hands or feet.
“It’s crucial to stay alert to how you feel during a shower and aim to maintain a moderate temperature whenever possible,” emphasized Mira Showers, according to the Mirror.
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