When can showers be dangerous?
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
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Some people shower only occasionally as they get dirty, while others shower several times a day. How often should it be done so that it is healthy rather than harmful? Is there any danger to people who shower daily?
Experts note that it is unlikely to find an unambiguous answer to this question, as ignoring hygiene procedures is as undesirable as compulsively visiting the shower. It is not so easy to determine the optimal indicator, because in reality it depends on a huge number of factors, including individual factors, such as the intensity of sweating, the presence of physical exertion, the peculiarities of the profession, food and bad habits, preferences in clothing, living conditions and so on. Geographical location also plays a special role. For example, according to statistics, 80% of Australians shower daily, while every second Chinese person does so only twice a week.
And yet: what are the dangers of washing too often? Indeed, it is not as useful as many people think. The surface of our body is inhabited by a large number of different microorganisms, both bacterial, fungal and viral in nature. All microorganisms combine to form our microbiome and maintain the defense of our skin and body as a whole. Too frequent water procedures disrupt the constancy of the microbiome, which weakens the natural defenses. As a result, bacterial pathogens and allergens can penetrate the tissues almost unhindered, leading to the development of dermatologic infections and allergic reactions. Special aggressive-alkaline and antibacterial shampoos and soaps have a particularly negative impact, which completely deprive the skin of protection and moisturization, which can bring a lot of problems, even if not immediately, but in a few years. Even many children's doctors do not advise bathing children every day, which is due to the need to "familiarize" immune system with microorganisms and allergens present in the environment. This helps the growing child's body to create antibodies and train the immune memory.
If, on the contrary, you shower too infrequently, then, first of all, there will be an unpleasant aroma, which is 100% likely to be noticed by others. Other possible problems include dandruff, pimples, and flaky skin caused by the accumulation of natural fat, clogged pores, and excessive growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
To summarize: most experts agree that you should take a shower, depending on the situation and time of year, preferably 2-3 times a week. The optimal duration of the water procedure is 4 minutes. The water should be warm, but not hot. As detergents should not use products with antibacterial composition, unless there are special indications for this. It is desirable to use products for sensitive skin that have plant components in their composition.
Information published at IFLScience