Do Space Heaters Dry Out Your Skin? Yes, Here’s Why

Does it always feel like you wake up with dry skin after using your space heater? Portable heaters aren’t the same as dehumidifiers, but the heat naturally causes various issues for people with sensitive skin. There are a few ways to prevent your heater from causing skin discomfort, though.

Space heaters dry out your skin because they remove moisture. These portable heaters can cause irritation in your eyes, skin, mouth, nose, and throat. Drink plenty of water and try humidifiers when using space heaters, and turn them off if you notice excessive skin dryness or redness.

Let’s break down numerous ways space heaters can dry out your skin and what you can do about it.

Can a Space Heater Make Your Skin Dry?

Portable electric heaters undoubtedly strip moisture from your skin and the surrounding air. I’ve used space heaters in small bedrooms and noticed undesirable dryness within minutes. You can use humidifiers or place a cup of water in the room for evaporation, but sometimes, nothing does the trick.

In my experience, the best way to stop a space heater from drying your skin is to unplug it every two or three hours. Open a nearby window to let the outside humidity into the room. It might cool the temperature a bit, but it’s more than worth preventing the dryness.

You should also unplug your space heater if you turn it off. It can trickle electricity, causing your utility bill to go up a bit. Another option is to keep it on an energy monitor or a timer with the wall outlet.

Dryness isn’t the only thing your space heater can do to damage your skin. There are a handful of conditions caused by using these electric heaters incorrectly or too frequently.

Sadly, a lot of people have experienced toasted skin syndrome from using portable electric heaters. This condition isn’t too common, but it’s prevalent enough to make a note of it. Toasted skin syndrome can make your skin look extremely vascular.

Learn more about toasted skin conditions in this quick video guide:

Can a Space Heater Damage Your Skin?

A space heater can damage your skin by drying it out so much that it cracks, burns, or gets itchy. You shouldn’t be too close to a space heater for a prolonged period of time. Turn off your space heater after a few hours to give your skin’s oils time to naturally replenish.

For example, here’s a quick list of the damage a space heater can cause:

1. Space heaters can cause toasted skin syndrome. This illness causes extreme discomfort, skin discoloration, redness, burn marks, and more. It can also make your skin very dry causing you to scratch it. This can lead to infections and other unwanted skin problems.
2. You can burn your skin if you touch the metal grate on a space heater. Most space heaters have grates that get very hot. These grates are often covered, but some of them are exposed. Keep the grate away from pets and people to prevent unwanted injuries.
3. Space heaters can dehydrate your skin, causing it to dry and crack. This process opens the gates for infected sores that require immediate attention. The best way to prevent this from happening is to use body lotion, face lotion, and chapstick.

If you notice any of these skin problems after using a space heater, turn it off and avoid using it until you find the source of the issue. Consider turning the space heater down a few notches or lowering the thermostat.

You can also use a humidifier near your desk or nightstand. Humidifiers will keep your skin hydrated, preventing it from getting too dry from the space heater. Keep a hygrometer in the room to ensure the humidity doesn’t exceed 45%.

Is It Okay to Sit Directly in Front of a Heater?

It’s not okay to sit directly in front of a heater because they emit incredibly high temperatures. Many portable heaters put out up to 20 degrees over the desired setting. As the hot air dissipates throughout the room, it levels the ambient temperature. Sitting too close to the heater will expose you to these higher temperatures.

According to Dr. Persky, space heaters can cause premature aging in your skin. Sitting right next to a space heater will undoubtedly encourage your skin to get too dry and loose. Not only will the space heater make your skin look older, but it can also weaken the upper layer of skin.

The only time you should be right in front of your space heater is if you’re listening for unknown sounds or repairing the appliance. Space heaters crackle and make various noises, so it’s essential to monitor them. Once you’ve identified the noise, move away from the space heater to prevent skin and throat dryness.

Here’s what you should do if you want to be near your space heater:

• Point the space heater away from you to prevent it from harming your skin.
• Turn the space heater to its lowest setting (and don’t forget to reduce the fan speed, too).
• Limit your time next to your space heater to five minutes or less.
• Make sure there’s adequate ventilation in the room (air vents, windows, doors, etc.).

Space heaters take a few minutes to heat a room, sometimes more. However, it’s not worth exposing yourself to skin dryness with these compact, portable heaters. Turn on the unit, then walk away and let it slowly heat the room.

Note: Cats and dogs love sitting near space heaters because they’re warm and cozy. Unfortunately, the higher temperatures can dry their fur and cause skin discomfort. Move your pet or the space heater, and make sure they know they can’t be next to the heater for too long.

Conclusion

You can make your space heater better by keeping it several feet away from you. This spacing will prevent it from drying out your skin as much. However, you might need to keep the space heater in a neighboring room or use body lotion to counteract the dryness.