You Are Probably Showering Way Too Much, According To Experts

And you are probably doing it wrong, too.

Daphnie

• Published in Interesting
• August 25, 2024

Many people actually shower every single day, which believe it or not, isn’t the best practice. However, this is common practice for so many people and it’s been something that people get criticized for when they do skip a shower.

It’s actually come out that those who skip showers might actually be right and those of you that shower daily, could be doing more harm that’s good. When looking at the facts, many experts say that how often you shower is actually dependent on that person.

It could be affected by how often you work, if you workout, if you have medical conditions. Body odor, and just overall washing needs for your body. Skin type, age, and even how active you are should be considered when thinking about how often the ideal time to shower is for you.

If you’re someone who showers every day, you probably are with the majority here, but experts have said that many of these people showering every single day don’t even need to. We’re going to take a look into this and see when the best times are for you to shower and just how often you should shower based on your personal life.

Daily showers are definitely something that’s common among many different people.

Dr. Mary Stevenson, an assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Health said that frequency of showering should be tailored to each individual person. “You should be showering, bathing, or cleansing yourself every two to three days," Dr Stevenson advised.

Dr Stevenson said that those who are active or work out daily should rinse off after their physical activity. “What people tend to do is soap up their entire body, which is really not necessary," she explained. "You really only need soap in your armpits, your groin, and your feet. Places where you get stinky."

She recommends against scrubbing every inch of our body and tells us to focus on certain areas.

We’ve all heard that the soaps we use are actually too harsh for our skin and this doctor reiterates that again.

Dr. Stevenson said that using more gentle products is key and that not soaping your whole body as well. Using too much soap can strip your skin, make it dry, and it can have even more harmful effects on people with sensitive skin.

She also stated that long, hot showers are not great for your skin and body. This will strip away natural oils and barriers on your skin. She said, “We like to say keep it to three minutes and keep it lukewarm.”

She actually recommended looking at ingredients in products for babies or for sensitive skin as they usually have much less ingredients in them.

This isn’t something we’ve just heard today, as there have been claims over the years that many of us are doing more harm than good by using scented soaps, taking hot showers, and taking frequent showers. Finding out what schedule works for you for showering is essential to making sure you’re staying healthy while staying clean.

Daphnie