Skipping Your Daily Shower May Make Your Skin Healthier (2024)

FAQs

Skipping Your Daily Shower May Make Your Skin Healthier? ›

Many others may be better off showering less frequently — or, at the very least, being thoughtful about how they shower. For instance, if you have eczema or dry or sensitive skin, you may want to shower every other day. Soap and water can exacerbate dry skin, Dr. Park said, causing irritation and itchiness.

Bacteria Buildup

That balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria on our skin can be upset by not washing enough. If you don't wash your body, it makes it easier for germs that cause actual skin infections to flourish.

In general, showering every other day or every few days is enough for most people. Keep in mind that showering twice a day or frequently taking hot or long showers can strip your skin of important oils. This can lead to dry, itchy skin.

It also depends on your personal preference. If you feel better with a daily showering routine, go for it. If you would rather skip some days, that's OK, but never go more than two or three days without washing your body with soap.

Bottom line: Too little bathing could mean more pimples. The buildup of oils can cause other skin problems too: the flaking away of skin on your scalp (dandruff), and flareups of existing skin conditions like eczema.

To literally no one's surprise, the risks of not bathing frequently enough are what you'd probably expect. According to Dr. Cook-Bolden, some of the most common side effects you'll experience include increased body odor, breakouts (like acne, boils, and abscesses), and flare-ups of skin conditions.

Approximately two-thirds of Americans shower daily. In Australia it's over 80%. But in China, about half of people report bathing only twice a week. In the US, the daily shower tends to start around puberty and becomes lifelong.

Dermatologists universally agree

The idea of needing to shower every 24 hours is great for soap manufacturers, but most people only need to take a few showers a week, depending upon their activities and environment.

Everyone's skin type would react differently to not being cleansed over a long period of time. But regardless of your skin type, all unwashed skin will eventually become irritated, itchy, and develop redness - or even oily patches due to excess sebum.

Generally, she says "you should be showering, bathing or cleansing yourself every two to three days." Though, if you're working out or engaging in an activity where you are sweating a lot, you may have to shower more often. The biggest problem that may stem from not showering enough? The stink.

Are daily showers necessary? ›

But while frequent washing of hands is key for stopping the spread of germs, according to most medics there is no inherent physical health benefit to the daily shower. In fact, it can even be bad for you by drying out your skin and undermining your immune system.

In the United States, most people bathe daily but, in other countries, many people bathe only 2-3 times per week or less. Many times it can come down to habit and ritual, as daily showers can help people feel more awake, avoid body odor, relax tight muscles or simply because that's what they've been taught to do.

Lack of personal hygiene can be characteristic of several other mental health conditions, such as depression and schizophrenia. Additionally, there may be another reason why someone refuses to bathe, such as the water or soap causing them pain.

Skin Health

By showering less often, you keep your skin's bacteria balance in check and decrease the risk of developing skin issues. This doesn't mean you have to stay dirty! Taking “sponge baths” is a great way to clean your body without using excess water or disrupting your skin's natural oils.

When counting people who shower every day, Mexicans and Australians led significantly, followed by Americans and the French. Brits, Russians, Swedes and Germans averaged less, with Chinese coming in the least frequent.

Benefits to morning showers include feeling more alert in the morning, getting clean after a workout, and washing off any nighttime sweat or skin cell buildup. However, showering at night may be a better option for people with skin conditions or allergies, and it can help prepare the body for sleep.

Taking shorter showers can help prevent dry skin by reducing the exposure to hot water that strips away natural oils. This can cause the skin to become dry, itchy, and flaky – especially during the summer months, and for people who suffer from skin allergies or naturally dry skin.

By showering less often, you keep your skin's bacteria balance in check and decrease the risk of developing skin issues. This doesn't mean you have to stay dirty! Taking “sponge baths” is a great way to clean your body without using excess water or disrupting your skin's natural oils.

If you are spending most of your time indoors and the environment has been properly cleaned and not contaminated, you can shower as often (or least often) as you'd like. Anytime you go outside, though, he said the safest course of action is to shower when you get home.

The potential benefits of skipping shampoo include: healthier hair and scalp that produces a balanced amount of oil. more voluminous hair. better textured hair and less need for styling products.