he 82% of Argentines say they shower once a day, same as 66% of Americans and 80% of Australians. Brazilians claim to shower twice a day, while in China, half claim to shower only twice a week.
Mexicans spend the most time on showering and personal hygiene, with Spaniards coming in second. The Dutch and South Africans enjoy couples baths the most. There is no doubt that taking a bath is a personal experience.
But there are clear reasons why daily bathing is not recommended, whether for pleasure or simple cleansing, dermatologists say.
Why do we have to take a shower?
The main reasons we bathe are logical: to cleanse the skin by removing dirt, and to prevent body odor. Sometimes we do this to help wake up and start the day, or to unwind at the end.
And, we remove dead skin cells without knowing it. Because of how we sweat, our skin’s natural oil levels, activity levels, and weather and climate conditions, the frequency of showering can vary from person to person and from region to region. to another country or from one country to another.
There is a man who has not bathed for more than half a century: Amu Haji, An Iranian man has died at the age of 94 two months after bathing for the first time in almost 70 years.
What happens if I don’t shower enough?
While body odor isn’t unhealthy for us, it can be annoying for our friends, family or co-workers, a regular lack of grooming can trigger some health concerns. A buildup of oil can cause flaking skin on the scalp (dandruff) and exacerbate skin conditions like eczema.
Excess oil also promotes the buildup of acne-causing bacteria, while dirt and dead skin can clog pores, exacerbating the problem. While acne has nothing to do with the frequency of your daily cleansing routine, bathing too little can exacerbate the problem.
What if I shower too much?
The skin has a protective oil layer and contains a balance of good bacteria that help protect the skin from dryness and bacteria. If you cleanse too often, this layer can be removed, and itching, dryness, and irritation can ensue.how Our immune system needs stimulation from bacteria, even those that live on the skin, and if you eliminate them too often, your body won’t have a chance to produce antibodies to protect the body from the bacteria.
Using harsh soaps, scrubbing the skin vigorously, or using antibacterial soaps (increased after the COVID-19 pandemic) may exacerbate the condition by disrupting the skin’s natural bacterial protection against more infectious bacteria that are more difficult to treat . Children are at greater risk because their bodies are fully developing.
What do dermatologists say?
Dermatologists agree that a daily shower or bath is neither necessary nor desirable for most people. Depending on their activity and environment, most people only need to shower a few times a week. Weather and climate are major factors in our need to shower, so more often in summer than in winter.
The recommended number of showers per week for the average person is 2-3 times per week.
The only beneficiaries of the idea of showering every 24 hours are soap makers.
perfect shower
Whether you shower daily or several times a week, it’s important to do it in a way that protects your skin from aggressors. To this end, it is recommended to:
- Three to five minutes is enough., and the shower time should not exceed ten minutes, because taking a bath for too long will remove the fat on the outer layer of the skin.The longer you shower, the worse it is for your skin and hair
- Do not shower or bathe in very hot water. Very hot water can dry out the skin and cause itching.
- Avoid strong or antibacterial soaps. It is best to use a mild soap that does not contain fragrance or fragrance.
- No need to smear the whole body. Yes, on areas of high discharge (armpit and groin area) and orifices. For the rest, just water unless there is obvious dirt.
- limit or avoid physical exfoliants Such as a sponge or brush.
- after shower, apply moisturizer.
- use of something It is not recommended to wash your hair every day. Two to three times a week is enough, but it depends on how oily you are.