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New attitudes to hygiene -

After a worldwide pandemic, we’re naturally more concerned with our hygiene and physical wellness than ever before. The entire human population was told to carefully wash their hands several times a day to avoid spreading a dangerous virus.

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The bathing debate -

This fact makes it even more confusing when faced with the celebrity-driven debate about personal hygiene. Stars have come out and said that they only wash themselves and their children when they start to smell. But is that healthy, and safe?

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"Ideal hygiene" -

The ideal bathing routine has always seemed to be a daily shower during which you scrub yourself from head to toe, followed by a full-body moisturizing session and careful application of an antiperspirant. Nobody can judge you, and you dispel any paranoia that the smell of sweat permeating the subway is coming from you…

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Hygiene and shame -

Cleanliness is tightly linked with dignity and shame. The idea of being considered dirty, unclean, or smelly is extremely embarrassing, and frequent washing is a way to avoid potential humiliation and rejection. Many people who grew up with very little money took pride in the fact that they were always neat and clean, even if their clothes were hand-me-downs.

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Bullying and rejection -

When someone doesn’t have access to clean clothes or shower facilities, it’s seen as a loss of dignity. Children whose parents can’t or don’t send them to school clean are often bullied, and the homeless are looked down upon and avoided by those who can’t look past the exterior and see the human being.

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The stuff of nightmares -

Many of us shower daily out of force of habit, but also to be above reproach when it comes to our personal hygiene. It’s anyone’s worst nightmare to leave the house for the day and realize you forgot to put on deodorant! So who are all these people who aren't concerned with regular bathing, or wearing deodorant at all?

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International statistics -

According to Harvard Health, approximately two-thirds of people in the US shower every day. In Australia it’s as high as 80%, while in China the average is closer to twice a week. These habits start around puberty and tend to be influenced by societal norms, which as we know, vary from culture to culture.

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Why do we shower? -

The top three motivations to shower daily seem to be concerns about body odor, waking up in the morning, and washing following a daily workout. These are all valid reasons, particularly if body odor might impact your professional and personal relationships!

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Marketing motives -

However, some of our hygiene habits might be influenced by marketing. For example, the instructions on most shampoo bottles tell you to "lather, rinse, repeat.” There’s no real reason to wash your hair twice, but you’ll certainly have to buy more shampoo if you do it!

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Drop that towel! -

Regardless of your reasons for showering daily, scientists and health experts don’t deem it necessary in most cases. Cue the shock and horror!

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The downsides of showering daily -

Healthy skin has a layer of natural oil as well as “good” bacteria and microorganisms. Washing every day, particularly if we’re scrubbing our skin and using hot water, can remove these important substances.

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Dry skin -

One possible result is that you’ll have dry, irritated skin. This can be itchy and uncomfortable, and forces you to go out and buy lotions to return the moisture to your skin.

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Infections and allergies - If your skin is dry and cracked, it’s more likely to let in bacteria or allergens. This increases the risk of getting a skin infection or having an allergic reaction.

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Antibacterial soap -

Antibacterial soaps are great for killing off the “bad” bacteria, but they also kill off the “good” bacteria. This can upset the careful balance of microorganisms on your skin, encouraging the bacteria to evolve and come back even tougher! This leads to less friendly bacteria that’s more resistant to antibiotics.

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Exposure to dirt can be helpful -

The normal bacteria and dirt we encounter throughout our lives are necessary to strengthen our immune systems. Just like a vaccine, exposure to a little bit of these outside nasties encourages the immune system to build up antibodies that protect us.

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Immune system -

If we ‘over-clean’ our bodies, we prevent our immune systems from doing their jobs, leaving us a bit more susceptible to illness.

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Water content -

Depending on the water quality and makeup in your area, you may also be showering in water that contains salts, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and other chemicals. These substances might cause their own problems.

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Waste -

Another downside to daily showering is that it wastes water. It’s also expensive to stock up on all of the soaps and shower gels and shampoos and conditioners. Not to mention the fact that these products are full of chemicals that may cause other problems for your body.

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No big deal - Daily showering is not a hugely problematic habit, but it’s not beneficial to your health either. It’s most likely drying out your skin and removing some of the natural oils and bacterias that keep your skin healthy.

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The recommended average -

It’s hard to give a general recommendation for how often we should shower because each person’s body and lifestyle are different. The experts seem to agree that showering a few times a week is enough.

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Keep the key areas clean -

Naturally, there are certain danger zones that tend to sweat more and build up bacteria. This causes bad odors and can lead to infections if they aren’t kept clean. For that reason, it’s recommended to gently clean the armpits, groin, and feet regularly.

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Short and sweet -

If you feel you must shower daily, some doctors recommend a quick three-minute shower where you only wash the three major danger zones! Other than that, try to avoid scrubbing the skin.

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Safety and disease -

When it comes to reducing the spread of infectious illnesses like COVID-19, the experts say that showering daily doesn’t help. Washing your hands carefully and frequently makes a huge difference, but you’re extremely unlikely to spread infections with the rest of your body.

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You do you -

Whether you shower daily or much less often, the conclusion seems to be that it’s all good as long as you’re not having noticeable skin problems or stinking up the room. It’s preferable not to shower every day if your lifestyle allows it, but at the end of the day, do what makes you comfortable (and don’t shame others if their version of comfort is different to yours).

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The baby debate - Another element of the great bathing debate was how often parents should wash their kids. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis famously said that they only wash their kids when they become visibly dirty, and their friends Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard concurred.

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Bathing infants -

According to the NHS, it’s not necessary to bathe babies on a daily basis: “You may prefer to wash their face, neck, hands and bottom carefully instead. This is often called "topping and tailing.” A proper session in the bath is recommended two or three times a week.

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Young children -

For slightly older kids, the Cleveland Clinic says they should be bathing a minimum of two or three times a week. Outside of that, they may need to hop in the shower if they get sticky, muddy, or stinky!

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Teenagers -

When kids hit puberty and their bodies start changing, they may need to shower more often. It’s natural that their bodies produce more oil and sweat during this period, so it’s important to stay clean to help with problems like acne and body odor, which are extra difficult to deal with at this stage of life.

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Let it all soak in -

Like many things in life, we’ll probably find the right balance by educating ourselves and then listening to our bodies.

Sources:  (Harvard Health) (HuffPost) (NHS) (Cleveland Clinic)

See also: Soakin' stars: Celebs who love baths

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