Common hot spring habits could damage skin
By Hu Tzu-hsia
and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
A dermatologist has warned that excessive scrubbing during or after immersion in a hot spring can result in unhealthier skin or severe itching, and advised people not to wear makeup to hot springs, as it could result in rashes.
Some older people are fond of vigorously scrubbing their backs with towels when visiting hot springs, Lo Yang (羅陽), a physician at Cathay General Hospital’s department of dermatology, said on Thursday.
Aside from the question of how sanitary such an action is in a public space, the reason the skin feels silky smooth afterward is because the water is hot, and the difference in temperature makes it easier for dead skin to flake off, Lo said.