Showering: How Often, When, and How Long
Showering is an essential part of our daily routine, but it’s important to shower correctly to maintain good hygiene and skin health.
When is the best time to shower?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Some people prefer to shower in the morning to wake themselves up, while others prefer to shower at night to relax before bed. Ultimately, the best time to shower is whenever it works best for you and your schedule.
How often should you shower?
Most people like to shower daily, but Dr. Dhoat explains that this doesn’t have to be a hard and fast rule. “Washing frequency varies between individuals and depends on environment and activity level. If it’s hot and humid, you sweat a great deal or are hitting the gym, you may wish to shower everyday,” she explains.
What happens when you shower too much?
Scrubbing yourself clean is great self-care and also considerate to the people around you, but you can actually over do it. Dr. Dhoat says: “Showering too much can impair the barrier function of the skin and flare up health or skin conditions. The top layer of the skin, the epidermis, has the vital function of the skin’s barrier; your body’s first defence to the outside world.
If your skin is red, flaky, dry or sensitive after washing, it’s pleading with you to dial down your routine. This will especially be the case if the skin’s brick wall may be already compromised, for example in ageing skin, ultraviolet light damage or skin disorders such as eczema .”
What happens when you shower too little?
You don’t have to be a medical expert to guess that showering too infrequently can cause you to smell. Dr. Dhoat says, “Apocrine glands are found in areas where you have hair, such as your armpits and groin. The secretions they produce, worse when stressed, are odourless until they combine with bacteria on your skin and are trapped with hair.
Reducing or removing sweat and cleaning to remove odour-promoting bacteria is key. There is no magic potion or need for aggressive regimes. Just clean gently but thoroughly with regular body wash once a day when showering or bathing, or after exercise and dry carefully afterwards.”
How long should you shower for?
“Generally, avoid excessive wet time,” says Dr. Dhoat. “If feet go ‘pruney’, it’s been too long and the skin barrier has been compromised. There is no magic number for optimal shower time but 5-10 minutes would be a good ball-park guide.” She went on to add, “For those that have issues with their skin barrier anyway e.g., those that suffer from eczema, I would suggest the shortest time possible, get clean and get out. Longer than 15 minutes is overdoing it for anyone.”
