Dry skin on airplanes: what are the causes?

Key points to remember.

The humidity level in the cabin drops below 10% during the flight, creating an environment drier than most deserts.
Dry air causes an acceleration of transepidermal water loss, reducing skin hydration on the cheeks by nearly 37% according to one study.
The absence of humidifiers on board is a safety measure intended to prevent structural corrosion and bacterial proliferation.
Upon landing, the skin temporarily exhibits a weakened skin barrier, comparable to that of a person with atopic dermatitis.
Wearing a rich, protective cream is the most effective strategy to block evaporation and maintain the epidermis’s balance during the flight.

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Air travel: how can we explain skin dryness?

As soon as the aircraft doors close and the plane begins its ascent, the environmental conditions change radically. For our skin, this journey through the air results in a sudden exposure to air of exceptional dryness, often exceeding that of the most hostile natural environments on the planet.

5–10%

Average humidity level in an airplane.

65–85%

Average humidity level in Paris (France).

25%

Average humidity level in the Sahara Desert.

Traveling by plane therefore means exposing your skin to an environment that is twice as dry as the largest hot desert in the world.

This dryness is not the result of a malfunction, but a direct consequence of high-altitude physics. At 10,000 meters, which corresponds to the average cruising altitude, the outside air is extremely cold at about -50°C. At these subzero temperatures, air loses its ability to hold water vapor, so it is naturally devoid of moisture.

To make this air breathable, the aircraft’s air management system takes it from the engines, compresses it, and heats it. However, this process does not generate any water. Therefore, the air injected into the cabin is perfectly clean and pressurized, but completely dry. The only sources of humidity on board are then the passengers’ own breathing and skin evaporation, which are far from sufficient to stabilize the cabin’s humidity level.

Variation de l'humidité de l'air dans l'avion avec l'altitude. — Variation of air humidity in the aircraft with altitude.
Source : ORIOLI A. & al. Air quality and relative humidity in commercial aircrafts: An experimental investigation on short-haul domestic flights. Building and Environment (1993).

If airlines do not artificially re-humidify the air, it is due to major technical reasons. The addition of water vapor would significantly increase the aircraft’s weight because of the mass of the water, and it would also increase the risk of corrosion of metallic structures and failure of electrical systems. Priority is therefore given to pressurization and air purity, at the expense of the humidity comfort of our skin.

Faced with such a dry environment, insensible water loss accelerates.

Following a pressure gradient, the dry cabin air “draws out” the moisture contained in the upper layers of the skin as it attempts to reach equilibrium. A study conducted with eight female travelers taking long-haul flights (Paris–New York and Tokyo–Paris) measured skin capacitance, an indicator of the hydration level of the stratum corneum. The results are unequivocal: hydration drops dramatically within the very first hours of the flight.

37%

of skin hydration loss in the cheek area after a long-haul flight.

25%

of cutaneous hydration loss at the forehead following a long-haul flight.

This drop is so significant that the hydration levels measured upon landing are comparable to those of patients suffering from atopic dermatitis, a skin disease characterized by a structurally deficient skin barrier. Practically speaking, this water-related stress can manifest as feelings of tightness and discomfort, but also as redness and increased sensitivity, especially if the skin is already naturally dry.

Note : Even short flights can impair skin hydration. The referenced study shows that skin dryness develops within the first two hours of flight.

How can you combat skin dryness on an airplane?

Since you cannot directly modify the ambient air in the cabin, the solution lies in the creation of an artificial barrier. The goal is to seal water within the epidermis before the cabin air can draw it out, by using an effective skincare routine.

The contribution ofhumectants : Active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin retain water within skin tissues, but they must absolutely be covered with an oily (lipid-rich) layer to prevent them from drawing moisture out of the skin and into the extremely dry surrounding air.
Applying occlusive creams : On an airplane, it is advisable to use formulations rich in film-forming agents, such as waxes or plant butters, which act as a physical shield on the surface of the stratum corneum to prevent water from evaporating.
Avoid pure water mists : Spraying water on your face without applying a cream afterward is counterproductive. The water evaporates almost immediately, carrying away your skin’s natural moisture.