Health

How Often Should You Shower?

January 11th 2016

Many people shower every day because it's a cleansing, warm break from reality. While showers certainly feel good, research shows that a daily shower might not be the best idea for everyone.

Who should and shouldn't shower more frequently.

Many factors determine how often you should shower. If you live in a humid environment, work in a job that causes you to sweat a lot, or exercise regularly, frequent showers might be in your best interest (and the best interests of those around you). Dermatologists also recommend that health care workers shower every day.

People who aren't very active and don't sweat as much, however, can afford to go up to three days without showering, according to dermatologist Monika G. Kiripolsky, who discussed this issue with Men's Health last year.

RELATED: What Happens When You Stop Bathing

In early 2015, Boston dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch told BuzzFeed Life that people tend to shower more than necessary in the U.S., adding that this can irritate and dry out your skin. Too much showering strips our skin of good bacteria and oils that we need to be healthy. It can also create tiny cracks and inflammation that make us vulnerable to infection, according to a recent video by The Huffington Post.

“We overbathe in this country and that’s really important to realize,” Hirsch said. “A lot of the reason we do it is because of societal norms.”

RELATED: IS YOUR SUNSCREEN ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE?

The issue with bathing too infrequently.

On the other hand, it's obviously important to bathe.

As ATTN: noted in a previous article, bathing (or showering) fights off bad bacteria and prevents skin infections. People with acne and other skin issues would also benefit from showering frequently to wipe dirt and sweat off their bodies.

We also encounter many germy things throughout the day, so when you stop showering entirely, you enable microbes to travel into your eyes, nose, and mouth and give you a host of sicknesses.

ShowerHuffington Post YouTube - youtube.com

The conclusion?

As with anything, you should be reasonable about how often you're showering. But to answer your question, yes, it is possible to shower too much.

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Do you shower daily?

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