What Do You Wear in a Steam Room

What do you wear in a steam room?

Knowing what to wear in a steam room can cause people a little concern if they have never been to a steam room before and are concerned about their modesty. Or they are in a different country, or visiting a new spa for the first time.

Across the US there are a general set of rules to follow. If you are unsure of anything you can always check with the spa you’re visiting. But this article should provide a pretty decent outline as to what is acceptable, and what isn’t.

Going Nude in a Steam Room

In some countries, as my guide to German sauna etiquette covered, it’s completely normal to go nude in saunas and steam rooms. In the US and the UK however it’s a lot less common, although an option in a lot of spas.

Being nude is a steam room is actually the best option for your health. You don’t need to worry about your clothing holding heat and sweat. Allowing your skin and pores to sweat freely. You should always take a towel in with you still to soak up your sweat and keep the room as clean as possible.

If you are in a nude steam room and don’t feel comfortable you can strategically position your towel. But a lot of nude room expect everyone to be nude to keep a consistency.

Wearing Your Swimming Attire

The most common attire in a steam room is whatever you wear to swim in. Most steam rooms are near the swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Being used as part of a swimming and relaxing session at the spa.

You will be sweating a lot in the steam room – that’s the point after all. So swim wear works out perfectly as it’s designed to be wet. You don’t need to worry about the outfit stretching or damaging either.

Just a little note on steam room etiquette. Always shower before and after using the steam room. There should be a shower unit right outside the room. But if there isn’t, it should be too hard to find one. This is important if you’ve been swimming in the pool too. The chemicals like chlorine need to be washed off your body and swimsuit before going into the steam room.

What Does a Steam Room Do for You

In case you aren’t aware, there are some great health benefits that come with spending some times in a steam room sweating it out. It’s works wonders for breathing problems and alleviating cold and flu symptoms. A lot of steam rooms will have some eucalyptus oil pumping in to help open the nasal passages and aid breathing. This is very refreshing if you suffer with sinus problems.

Obviously you sweat a lot, which increases your metabolism and can help aid you with losing weight. You will also sweat out a lot of toxins from your body, helping you feel better almost instantly.

Steam also works wonders for your skin. The hot steam opens up your pores to allow you to clear out your skin while sweating. This flushes out a lot of dirt and grease in your pores and helps with skin conditions and clearing up acne. You will feel a nice warm glow in your skin afterwards, and with regular sessions you will feel and look much better for it.

Conditions That Prohibit Steam Room Use

Most spas run through a health check and cover any reasons why you shouldn’t use a steam room, sauna, or any of their other facilities. As a general guideline, here are reasons that usually prohibit the use of a steam room:

Pregnancy – If you are pregnant or suspect you may be you shouldn’t spend time in the steamer. It will cause your core body temperature to rise and is potentially dangerous for the fetus.

Heart Conditions – If you suffer with any form of heart problem you need to seek clearance from a medical professional before using the facilities. Low or high blood pressure can cause some serious health issues.

Diabetes and Kidney Disease – Similar to the above conditions, these are health issues that can be worsened with the temperatures in a steam room. Always seek medical clearance and discuss your conditions with the staff at the spa.

Don’t Stay in the Steam Room Too Long!

It’s very relaxing in there, but staying in the room too long is bad for your health. You are losing a lot of fluids through sweating, so you will need to rehydrate as soon as you leave the room. Always stand up slowly after spending some time in there as you may be lightheaded, and with a slippy floor this has been a recipe for disaster for many people.

15-20 minutes is more than enough. If you start feeling dizzy, really thirsty, or feel your heartbeat speeding up, you need to take a break. With moderate and sensible use, sessions in a steam room are very beneficial and enjoyable.