Practicing hot yoga for extended periods of time might cause rosacea in people with sensitive skin, said Hsu Yu-ling (徐毓聆), a doctor at the Ministry of Health and Welfare-affiliated Taoyuan General Hospital’s dermatology department.
Rosacea is a skin infection that might be aggravated by the hot and unventilated conditions in which hot yoga is practiced, with symptoms including redness in the face, rashes and itching, Hsu said.
Hot yoga, which is advocated by some celebrities for its supposed body sculpting and weight-loss benefits, refers to a form of yoga practiced in a controlled environment where the temperature remains between 36°C and 40°C.
Photo: courtesy of Chen Shu-li
Hsu said that hot yoga’s popularity in Taiwan has resulted in higher incidences of rosacea among people with sensitive skin.
“Many women have come to me with complaints of itching and reddish skin,” Hsu said. “I thought they had skin allergies, but after diagnosis it turned out that they had rosacea.”
“Any exercise, not just hot yoga, that is performed in a hot and humid environment might cause angiogenesis. If allergy-prone skin is kept sweaty in humid conditions, it might develop into an infection,” Hsu said.
People who experience skin rashes or other abnormal reddening of the skin might try cooling down with cold water and should exercise in well-ventilated, cool environments, she said.
If the condition fails to improve or symptoms return, people should seek medical help, she added.
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