Do we need to shower daily?
When several celebrities began revealing that they find showering every day pointless, this question became a hot topic on the internet and beyond. But if you feel daily showers are a must, most folks would agree. Over 60 percent of the respondents in a 2021 survey of more than 5,700 adults in the United States stated that they shower at least once each day.
But are daily showers needed for our overall health? And could showering daily actually be bad for you?
Interestingly, many women who bathe or shower daily say they do so as a pampering or relaxation ritual rather than for hygiene.
“It's really lifestyle dependent,” says Dr. Glenicia Nosworthy, the CEO of Nuspecies Integrative Medical Practice and founder of Glo by Glen Facial Optimization.
The key to healthy skin is keeping bacteria in check.
“Everybody has bacteria on their skin,” Dr. Nosworthy explains. “It is normal to have bacteria on your skin. When you have an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria, that's when you end up with medical problems – rashes, diseases, inflammation.”
For folks with sedentary lifestyles, daily showers typically aren’t needed.
“If you're someone who works from home, you maybe run to the supermarket a few times a week, you don't really exercise – if you bathe three days a week, that is not going to cause you any medical problems. It's not going to cause you to have rashes or inflammation on the skin,” Dr. Nosworthy says.
And some experts say a short shower lasting three or four minutes that focuses on cleansing the armpits and groin is sufficient.
If you have a more active lifestyle, however, you want to make bath time a daily ritual.
“When you exercise, your body gets warmer and you sweat more and water and warmth increase the chances of increased bacterial growth, increased fungus growth,” Dr. Nosworthy says. “So, if you're fairly active, you should be showering every day after your workout.”
Furthermore, Dr. Nosworthy says a warm shower can soothe aching muscles and help relieve stress.
Fountain of youth? Not so much.
But is it possible to shower too much? Showers can dry out the skin, which can be bad news for those of us trying to hold on to our youthful glow.
“As you get older, the more moisturized your skin is, and the less you have been stripping it over the years, it decreases the chances of things like wrinkles,” Dr. Nosworthy says.
But there are some things we can do to retain and restore moisture, such as using a hydrating body wash. If you have a skin condition like eczema, be sure to use hydrating creams after you shower, too.
In conversations moderated online, several mature women gave reasons why a daily shower wasn’t a great fit for their wellness needs.
If you’re taking extra showers in the summer months, Dr. Nosworthy recommends cool showers to help prevent drying out the skin.
In conversations moderated online, several mature women gave reasons why a daily shower wasn’t a great fit for their wellness needs. Among them:
- Very dry or inflamed skin
- They cleanse odor-producing areas daily outside the shower
- Balance or mobility challenges
- Spending most days at home
- Conserving water and energy
- Inactivity
Interestingly, many women who bathe or shower daily say they do so as a pampering or relaxation ritual rather than for hygiene.
The rules of play are different for our faces. Regardless of your activity level, Dr. Nosworthy recommends washing your face twice a day – morning and night – to keep pore-clogging oils and adult acne-causing bacteria at bay. Extra points if you use an anti-microbial cleansing cloth.
When the question of whether we should shower daily came up on the Today show, host Al Roker was appalled when he learned some dermatologists stated that three times a week was sufficient.
“Not if you come in contact with other people!” Roker exclaimed.
Dr. Nosworthy acknowledges that showering daily is more of a social issue than a medical one. You may opt to shower daily simply because you want to be fresh and clean.
“You bathe because you don't want to disrupt your partner at night because your underarms have an odor, but your underarms having an odor is not killing you,” Dr. Nosworthy says. “Everyone just wants to present their best selves to the world, and showering every day is going to make it easier for you to be around others.”
