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Steam Rooms

What it is

A steam room is a relatively small tiled room in which steam is generated at high pressure and temperature. Within moments of stepping inside, the warmth penetrates your entire body, easing tired muscles and releasing stresses and tension. Just as importantly, it also opens the pores, deep-cleansing your skin and leaving it supple. These days, steam rooms are a key part of the hydrotherapeutic facilities in spas and health clubs.

What it does

Odd as it sounds, steam rooms are designed to create a so-called artificial fever in their users. Often misunderstood as a symptom of disease, fever is actually part of the body's natural healing process - it’s one very effective way of getting rid of toxins and ‘bad’ bacteria.

As the pores open up, millions of sweat glands start to excrete waste products, some of which will have contributed to you not feeling your best. Sweat contains many of the same elements as urine, which is why the skin is sometimes called the third kidney. When you sweat, an estimated 30% of your bodily wastes are being eliminated.

More than ‘just’ common metabolic waste products are secreted through the skin, however. Well-circulated in the spa industry are the stories of heavy smokers leaving a yellow residue on their towels after a spell in a steam room. Plus they burn hundreds of calories per session, making a spell in a steam room one of the most effective and painless detoxifying treatments in the world.

How you feel

The warm, dark wetness of a steam room is immediately relaxing and can lead to improved sleep and a general sense of calmness. You can also expect your skin to feel softer and more supple. Sweating opens pores, allowing any built-up sebum and impurities to be pushed out, while dead skin cells are softened and exfoliated, allowing new, younger skin to emerge. This is why many common skin conditions may improve with periodic visits to a steam room.

What you should know

Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. As you sweat out toxins you'll also be losing fluid.

Watch the time. 5-15 minutes is the usual length of time spent in a steam room. Listen to your body and only stay as long as you’re comfortable. It’s a good idea to always have a cold shower afterwards - to cool you down and close your pores.

If you’re using a steam room for the first time, it's worth finding out beforehand what you're expected to wear. Some facilities have single-sex steam rooms where you're encouraged to be naked. In others, it’s the norm to wear a swimming costume and/or towel.

The cost

More often that not, steam rooms are free to use - free in the sense that you’ve paid to be in the facility offering them and are free to use them as you wish. In gyms or leisure centres of which you aren’t a member, expect to pay a few pounds each time.

The availability

Modern residential and hotel spa facilities are likely to have at least one steam room. Luxury spas may offer several kinds. Most private gyms these days have a steam room and/or sauna.

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