Is showering every day bad for your skin?

[BGog]

Sorry Kozulich, it looks like the article you posted was an april fools joke.

Forty-seven percent of the participants in the first group were single at the start of the study. Two months later this percentage had increased to 84 percent.

It's unlikely that 33% of people got a divorce because of doing this for 3 months.

(Health24, April 1, 2006)

And of course it was actually posted on april fools day.

 

[fuerein]

Cripes. Everybody I know showers at least twice a day. Maybe it is a Hawaii thing... because it is hot and humid here. The idea of not shaving at least once every day-

I frequently shower twice a day too. I practically have to shower in the morning to get my curly hair wet enough to be able to do anything with. Then, especially in the summer, it is nice to take a shower just prior to bed. Of course you end the shower with just cold water so you can go to bed nice and cool.

 

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Sweat is essentially electrolytes and water which can basically be removed with water. In general, the idea would be to try not to take very hot showers as the heat is very dehydrating to the skin. Also, using soap daily is very stripping to the protective oils on the skin. The time factor is impt too. Lingering for an extended period of time would not be advised. This is from a "healthy skin" standpoint. We have been conditioned greatly by marketing as to more being better-more suds, more foam, more cleaning- it's not good for maintaining the integrity of the skin. If you must shower everyday, get in, rinse off and get out

 

[TraderJoe]

Sweat is essentially electrolytes and water which can basically be removed with water. In general, the idea would be to try not to take very hot showers as the heat is very dehydrating to the skin. Also, using soap daily is very stripping to the protective oils on the skin. The time factor is impt too. Lingering for an extended period of time would not be advised. This is from a "healthy skin" standpoint. We have been conditioned greatly by marketing as to more being better-more suds, more foam, more cleaning- it's not good for maintaining the integrity of the skin. If you must shower everyday, get in, rinse off and get out

Intresting. Does this apply to washing hair as well? If one uses hairgel, can the hair just be rinsed with water in the morning after wearing gel...then the gel re-applied? I would imagine there will be some buildup if the gel isn't washed out.

The obvious answer is to not use gel at all, but, I am curious to hear what your thoughts are.

Thank You.

 

[JMT]

the link between body odor and life enjoyment is shaky.

Orest

Not for me, I can tell you that I enjoy life alot more when the people around me do not stink.

 

[TAsunder]

I have heard the "stripping oils" argument before and I find it to be rubbish. There is some implied assumption that my skin would be healthy if I just left it alone, which is patently false in my case. I have several problem areas on my body where either the skin gets too oily or too dry. If I do not wash the excess oil off the former or use a moisturizing wash on the latter, my skin is in significantly worse shape.

If shower every other day for a week, my skin is totally messed up by then. Acne breakouts being the primary symptom.

Some people like to counter with the, "that's because your skin is accomodating your habits" routine which is generally rubbish too. My skin is not THAT intelligent, sorry. It might react negatively to excess chemicals in soaps, shampoos, etc. but it's not so smart that it changes its ways for high quality mild cleansers.

There is probably some truth to the immune system argument. Similar studies have shown that being too clean or too isolated can make immune systems less robust. I think that is more for younger people, children especially, though. By the time you are an adult, I think it is probably too late to start changing your habits in that regard.

 

[kozulich]

I have heard the "stripping oils" argument before and I find it to be rubbish. There is some implied assumption that my skin would be healthy if I just left it alone, which is patently false in my case. I have several problem areas on my body where either the skin gets too oily or too dry. If I do not wash the excess oil off the former or use a moisturizing wash on the latter, my skin is in significantly worse shape.

If shower every other day for a week, my skin is totally messed up by then. Acne breakouts being the primary symptom.

On the other hand, my son suffers from severe eczema, and if he showers or bathes daily he breaks out in a festering rash, even if he uses mild soaps. He can't use any soap with fragrance or color, and even hypo-allergenic soaps have to be used sparingly.

I guess it goes to show that we are not all the same and one size does not fit all.

kozulich

 

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Joe, I would think you should be able to rinse it out w/o a problem and then reapply. Gel is fine. Just try to get a product w/o alcohol for sure.

 

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Kozulich - It would be a good idea to do a sponge bath for your son so that he is not lingering. A soak in an oatmeal bath is very good. If you want to PM me with an email address, I would be happy to forward my eczema checklist.

 

[TraderJoe]

Joe, I would think you should be able to rinse it out w/o a problem and then reapply. Gel is fine. Just try to get a product w/o alcohol for sure.

Thank you!

 

[Ashe]

Nicole,

Most likely this has been said already in other threads but I'm gonna say it again: thank you for the professional knowledge you bring into this forum. It truly is very interesting reading your posts!

 

[Shane]

Milk, Carbs, Cell Phones and now Daily Showering?

If showering is bad for you, man, what's good for you??

Shane

 

[J_P_K]

The daily shower is overrated! There are lots of factors involved, including your job the climate in which you live and just how much body odor you produce. I shower every other day. On the days I don't shower I take a very through "sponge bath". I have an active social life and am often complimented for "smelling clean". I don't use any cologne and use an unscented deodorant so what they smell is good old fashioned soap. Kirks in the shower and wash basin and whatever I choose to shave with that day. (Honeybees sandalwood of late.) I don't know how many gallons of hot water the average shower sends down the drain but I'm using half of what I used when I showered daily. I use a "Euro Style" waffle bath towel that I allow to dry on the rack between uses. I use it twice before laundering.

Holy CRAP.... I'm a freaking environmentalist!

 

[TraderJoe]

The daily shower is overrated! There are lots of factors involved, including your job the climate in which you live and just how much body odor you produce. I shower every other day. On the days I don't shower I take a very through "sponge bath". I have an active social life and am often complimented for "smelling clean". I don't use any cologne and use an unscented deodorant so what they smell is good old fashioned soap. Kirks in the shower and wash basin and whatever I choose to shave with that day. (Honeybees sandalwood of late.) I don't know how many gallons of hot water the average shower sends down the drain but I'm using half of what I used when I showered daily. I use a "Euro Style" waffle bath towel that I allow to dry on the rack between uses. I use it twice before laundering.

Holy CRAP.... I'm a freaking environmentalist!

Interesting, how exactly does a "sponge bath" go, and is this what you use the waffle bath towel for? Pardon me if this sounds dumb, but this is all new to me.

Also, are you referring to the Kirk's castile bar?

 

[J_P_K]

Interesting, how exactly does a "sponge bath" go, and is this what you use the waffle bath towel for? Pardon me if this sounds dumb, but this is all new to me.

Also, are you referring to the Kirk's castile bar?

Yep, I use Kirk's castile..

I simply fill the sink with a nice warm soapy solution and use a wash cloth to wash my chubby little body. Extra attention to arm pits and private areas is recommended! Refill the sink with water and "rinse" sensitive areas with clear water. (Don't leave soap residue in your arm pits! (OUCH!)
One more fresh partial fill with hot water for your shave and your done.

 

[TraderJoe]

Yep, I use Kirk's castile..

I simply fill the sink with a nice warm soapy solution and use a wash cloth to wash my chubby little body. Extra attention to arm pits and private areas is recommended! Refill the sink with water and "rinse" sensitive areas with clear water. (Don't leave soap residue in your arm pits! (OUCH!)
One more fresh partial fill with hot water for your shave and your done.

Does water splash all over the place?

 

[J_P_K]

Does water splash all over the place?

Not for me... YMMV

 

[TAsunder]

How is a sponge bath any different than a shower?

 

[J_P_K]

How is a sponge bath any different than a shower?

Except for the fact that you save about 20 gallons of hot water... not much.

 

[dustind]

The daily shower is overrated! There are lots of factors involved, including your job the climate in which you live and just how much body odor you produce. I shower every other day. On the days I don't shower I take a very through "sponge bath". I have an active social life and am often complimented for "smelling clean". I don't use any cologne and use an unscented deodorant so what they smell is good old fashioned soap. Kirks in the shower and wash basin and whatever I choose to shave with that day. (Honeybees sandalwood of late.) I don't know how many gallons of hot water the average shower sends down the drain but I'm using half of what I used when I showered daily. I use a "Euro Style" waffle bath towel that I allow to dry on the rack between uses. I use it twice before laundering.

Holy CRAP.... I'm a freaking environmentalist!

No. Your a Washingtonion.... like my wife.

Some of us have to shower everyday, sometimes twice. I shower every morning before my morning shave as part of my dialy routine. Only skip weekend mornings. If I'm working in my backyard afterwork (masive landscape project) then I shower again at night. Don't want to be stinky before I crawl into bed with the Mrs. Only problem I have and I was going to put a post up about this on the forum, was dry skin. But then I had that without the shower already.