How often you actually need to shower, according to science

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April 24, 2018 3:52 PM

Must we shower every day? Skin experts say no.

Daily showering can strip the skin's outer layers of moisture.
Experts say three minutes is all you need to get clean.
Soap up targeted areas, not every spot on the body.

When was the last time you showered?

If you're like most people, the answer is probably less than 24 hours ago.

There's no official protocol for how often to shower, but folks around the world — in countries like India, the US, Spain, and Mexico — all bathe about once a day (either with soap or without) , according to Euromonitor International.

On Reddit’s ‘AskAnAmerican’ channel, top commenters in the US say they shower even more than that — up to twice a day, depending on how often they exercise. And in Brazil, where temperatures in some areas routinely exceed 100 degrees in the summer, some rinse more than 11 times every week, Euromonitor says.

But are frequent suds really necessary?

No official guidance

f they’re not too dirty from playing, the recommendation is a bath at least once or twice a week for kids between the ages of six and 11. Their little developing immune systems need some dirt (organisms like bacteria and small doses of viruses and infections) in order to grow up strong.

But once we hit age 12, the official bathing guidance stops. The AAD seems to assume that just about everyone is trying to wash away those awkward teenage smells, and that most people have a daily shower routine by the time they've reached puberty.

The truth is that we probably don't have to shower that much.

Showers strip the skins moisture

Soap is built to pull dirt and oil off the skin and wash it away. The science of this sudsy magic is based on a two-part formula: a combination of either fat or oil plus an alkaline substance that dissolves in water (like salt or baking soda). The two ends of the soap molecule work together to pull grease and oil off of skin (or clothes, or pots and pans) and into the water.

Shampoo also strips essential oil (called sebum) out of the hair, which is why most hair experts agree you should only clean your mane at most once every two to three days.

When the loss of natural oil is combined with harsh scrubbing and scalding water, a long, hot, soapy shower can become a recipe for dry skin. This is especially true in the winter, when air is drier both indoors and out.

Keep the water temperature warm, not hot.
Brief is better. Aim for closer to three minutes under the nozzle, not 30.
Moisturize when you get out, since slathering on some lotion while the skin is still damp can lock escaping moisture in the skin.

If you're just popping in to the water on the daily because it feels like the 'right' thing to do, then feel free to skip some of those showers and get on with your life.

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