This Is What Happens If You Stop Showering for an Entire YEAR (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don't shower for a year? ›

If you persist in refusing to shower, you'll no longer be able to wash off the dead skin that accumulates on the surface of your face and body. This means you'll likely suffer from hyperkeratosis, a thickening of the outer skin layer, which doesn't sound like something you'd want to do voluntarily.

Your skin will get dry

Flakey, dry skin is also a result of not showering regularly. Generally speaking, if your skin doesn't have enough moisture, it becomes dry. Some dry skin gets itchy, while extremely dry skin can even result in bleeding from painful cracks in the 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.

Skipping showers can lead to a buildup of bacteria and oils on the skin, which can cause unpleasant body odor and potentially contribute to skin infections. Not brushing your teeth regularly can lead to plaque buildup, tooth decay, and bad breath.

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.

Most dermatologists say that your shower should last between five and 10 minutes to cleanse and hydrate your skin, but no longer than 15 minutes to avoid drying it out. You can still benefit from the shower length you prefer, whether long and luxurious, quick and efficient or somewhere in the middle.

You will stay healthier if you don't wash your body with soap every day, provided that you rinse it every day or so with clean water. All-over soaping is actually harmful to daily hygiene rather than helpful.

Amou Haji (Persian: عمو حاجى, lit. 'Uncle Hajji'; 20 August 1928 – 23 October 2022), also known as the "World's Dirtiest Man", was an Iranian man known for not bathing for more than 60 years.

Your skin will feel healthier.

Bathing with only water will balance out the protective layer of your skin. While soap effectively removes dirt from your body, it also cleanses off the natural oils secreted by your skin. Using soap regularly may also upset the pH balance of your skin, leaving it dry and irritated.

Healthy skin has a natural layer of oil and bacteria that help keep it from drying out. On the flip side, not showering enough can cause body odor, acne, and even skin infections.

Should females take baths or showers? ›

Your personal hygiene priorities should determine whether you take a bath or a shower. If you're interested in promoting relaxation, easing fatigue, and treating chronic pain, a bath might be the right choice for you. If you're more interested in an efficient daily cleansing, a shower might be the better choice.

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.

if you don't bathe enough

increased body odor. acne. flare-ups of skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. skin infections.

While common, there are multiple reasons why someone stop showering depending on the individual. The reasons can range from not feeling secure and in control in the bathroom anymore, to early signs of dementia and psychological issues.

You'd develop skin problems and itches

If you hate being itchy then I wouldn't recommend not showering. Existing skin problems such as acne and dry skin are likely to get worse over time and, as dirt and bacteria build-up, you'll be feeling the urge to scratch yourself more.

Amou Haji (Persian: عمو حاجى, lit. 'Uncle Hajji'; 20 August 1928 – 23 October 2022), also known as the "World's Dirtiest Man", was an Iranian man known for not bathing for more than 60 months.

"A skipped shower here or there probably won't trigger body odor, especially if you haven't been exercising," the experts at Healthline write. But after a month, they note, you'd get a little—or maybe a lot—stinky.

Along the same lines, if you're not washing behind your ears regularly, Dr. Purdy says that you may notice the skin in that area becoming sensitive or irritated, or eventually, develop eczema. “If you have your ears pierced, you absolutely want to focus on washing this area to avoid infection,” she adds.