Some steam eye masks are comfortable to wear, but they are actually silently damaging your skin

Recently, the guy sitting next to me has become addicted to wearing a steam eye mask while taking a nap.

What he meant was that the warm steam could relieve the fatigue caused by using the eyes for a whole morning.

Steam eye masks are not a new internet celebrity product. Their appearance has relieved eye fatigue for many young people who overuse their eyes, and brought everyone a moment of VIP-style rest, and they are deeply loved by everyone.

But what is the principle behind it?

It’s actually very simple. Take the ingredients of one of the products as an example:

After unpacking, the iron powder in the heating element comes into contact with oxygen in the air, oxidizing and releasing heat, causing the water in the water-absorbing resin to evaporate steadily. When the water vapor is cooled, it quickly liquefies and turns into tiny droplets, which are evenly released through the inner layer of the non-woven fabric of the eye mask.

It sounds like a good design. So we bought 11 popular brands online and tested them one by one to see if these steam eye masks are reliable.

Testing fee 3200 yuan (public price) + sample fee 938.65 yuan = total 4138.65 yuan

During the evaluation process, we found that the temperature of some samples exceeded the recommended temperature. Although people may feel warm and comfortable when using them in winter, the damage has actually already occurred.

Now let’s take a look together and see if the temperature of the one you are using is reasonable?

Temperature Testing Temperature control testing is our first consideration.

Because the eyelids and the skin around the eyes are relatively sensitive, if the temperature is too high for too long, there is a risk of low-temperature burns;

If the temperature is too low, it will feel uncomfortable and will not promote blood circulation.

We measured the temperature change in the center of the eye mask 40 minutes after it was opened and made some classifications for these samples.

Among them, the fastest heating rates are No. 3, No. 4, and No. 11:

The top three with the highest sustained high temperatures were No. 3, No. 9 and No. 10. At the 40th minute, their temperatures still remained above 45°C, especially No. 3, which was 49.3°C.

You should know that the higher the temperature of the steam eye mask, the better it is.

Generally speaking, the best temperature range is between 42℃ and 45℃, and the time should not be too long.

If the skin surface temperature remains at 44°C for more than 6 hours, it will cause irreversible changes in the epidermal basal cells;

Continuous contact of a heat source at 49°C with the skin for 3 minutes can cause damage to the epidermis, and more than 9 minutes will cause epidermal necrosis.

It can be found from these samples that the most reasonable temperature control is No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6.

There are two models with significantly lower temperatures, namely No. 5 and No. 8. At the 40th minute, the temperatures of both models had dropped below 35℃.

At this time, if you touch it with your hand at normal body temperature, you will not feel anything.

Based on the above, No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6 are more recommended.

In addition, No. 4 and No. 7 heat up quickly and cool down quickly, which may be related to the amount of powder used, so these two can also be considered for short-term use.

Formaldehyde detection: The fabric that comes into contact with the eyes is non-woven. We tested the formaldehyde content of the fabric and the results showed that no formaldehyde was detected. This shows that the manufacturer has a good control in this regard and it deserves praise.

Difference in heating elements: The heating principle of steam eye masks is based on the reaction between iron powder and oxygen in the air. There are basically two types: flake type and powder type.

We disassembled the heating elements of 11 eye masks, and the results are as follows:

The thin-sheet type has relatively better temperature control and can evenly control the temperature according to the weight of the iron powder.

The powder type is similar to the hot pack and is relatively cheaper, but due to transportation or storage, there may be too much iron powder in some areas and the temperature may be too high.

It is generally recommended to use a thin steam eye mask.

Ingredients: Many steam eye masks claim to have added essential oils or natural extracts. For example, the one below lists chamomile essential oil extract as an ingredient on the packaging.

Some people may be sensitive to certain fragrances, so be careful when choosing and avoid ingredients that you are allergic to.

Many people also think that after using an eye mask, the essential oil will act on the skin along with the water vapor, achieving a skin care effect.

But it won’t.

The biggest function of these essential oils is that they smell good when used, which may help you fall asleep faster. For example, studies have shown that linalool in lavender can relieve anxiety and calm people.

So when choosing a steam eye mask, just pick the scent you like and forget about skin care.

These people are not suitable for use. Which groups of people may not be suitable for wearing steam eye masks?

People with eye diseases

It is not recommended for people with eye diseases, pathological high myopia, high myopia accompanied by high intraocular pressure, or those who have recently undergone myopia surgery to wear steam eye masks at too high a temperature for too long.

There have been news reports of cases of people developing conjunctivitis due to wearing steam eye masks.

People wearing contact lenses

If you wear contact lenses, you need to remove them before using the steam eye mask. Otherwise, the contact lenses may be deformed or damaged under high temperatures, causing eye damage.

Sensitive groups

People who may be allergic to essential oils are advised to choose unscented models. People with sensitive skin are advised to choose models with low temperature and no fragrance. The usage time can be gradually extended after you are sure you have adapted to it. Please take it off in time if you feel uncomfortable.

Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes

It is also not recommended for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. Diabetes progresses to neuropathy, which makes people insensitive to tactile pain, and there is a risk of burns, and wounds are difficult to heal.

child

It is not suitable for children who are too young. Children's skin is relatively tender and may not be able to withstand low temperatures.

If you are not sure about your own situation, it is recommended that you consider choosing a steam eye mask with a low temperature and short heating time.

The results of this evaluation are as follows:

In general, putting aside the problem of too high temperature, steam eye masks can relieve dry eye symptoms and relax the eyes to a certain extent.

But it cannot solve the problems of dark circles and dry eyes that everyone cares about.

Paying attention to rest, looking into the distance appropriately, and not staying up late are the best ways to be gentle and caring to your eyes.

In fact, the biggest advantage of a steam eye mask is its convenience. No matter where you are, if you need it, you can open one and enjoy the comfort and relaxation brought by the hot compress.

According to the popular saying this year, this is probably part of the refined life of working people.

The year is almost over. Friends who call themselves working people, no matter how hard or tired you are, don't forget to take good care of yourself, and don't forget to take care of yourself correctly.

References:

[1] Hiroki Harada, Hideki Kashiwadani1, Yuichi Kanmura, Tomoyuki Kuwaki1. Linalool Odor-Induced Anxiolytic Effects in Mice. Front Behav Neurosci. 23 October 2018