“Plane Face” Phenomenon
So the face does not swell on the plane
During a three-hour flight, the body loses about one and a half liters of water.
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During a flight, the body loses a lot of fluid. This is usually noticeable first on the face. This is how you prevent the “Plane Face”.
Instead of starting our vacation fresh and invigorated, we usually get off the plane after a long flight at our destination a bit crumpled – we’re talking about the so-called “plane face”. The dry air on board and the low air pressure ensure that the skin dehydrates quickly, even on short-haul flights.
If the skin loses water, it tries to control it with oil. The result: oily skin, blemishes and puffiness. What can be done to avoid the “Plane Face”?
Prepare with moisturizing masks
Preparation is half the battle when it comes to skincare on the plane. A few days before departure, you can start caring for your facial skin with a daily moisturizing mask. Wearing a moisturizing sheet mask on a plane doesn’t hurt either. As little as 15 to 20 minutes will help prevent water from evaporating from your face.
Don’t forget SPF!
It goes without saying that we wear sunscreen at the beach or by the pool – but sun protection is also a must on the plane. The sun’s UV rays are significantly stronger above the clouds. If you get on a plane during the day, you should apply sun protection factor 30 to your face beforehand.
drink a lot
During a three-hour flight, the body loses up to one and a half liters of water. Swollen facial skin and dry mucous membranes in the mouth and nose are the first signs that the body is dehydrated. If you want to avoid this, it is best to drink about two liters of water before the flight. During the flight you should fill up the fluid balance even further. As a rule of thumb: About one glass per hour of flight is needed to keep the body sufficiently hydrated.
Moisturizing skin care
You can also moisturize the skin from the outside: skin care with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or vitamin C ensures that the skin glows and does not appear sallow. Niacinamide can help fight dry patches and inflamed skin.
Avoid salty food
On short-haul flights, people often eat salty snacks such as peanuts, chips and the like. Sitting for long periods of time means that the body’s lymphatic drainage does not work properly and the face swells. It is therefore better to eat light, water-containing foods such as fruit and vegetables.
stimulate lymphatic drainage
Especially on longer flights, you should always get up and stretch or shake your legs. Light stretches in place can help keep the lymphatic system active. You can also stimulate lymph drainage on the face with gentle movement and massage, for example by gently massaging the lymph nodes at collarbone level.