I’m a skin doctor – how often you should be showering… and it’s probably a lot less than you think
BACK in 2020, lockdown research found that Brits were less likely to shower daily – a practice that has continued thanks to hybrid working.
And while a lot of people may wince at the idea of not showering everyday – hailing it as their wake up call in the morning – getting soapy less often could just be better for your skin.
One dermatologist has argued that we don’t need to shower everyday.
The sweet spot is actually around every two to three days, depending on your lifestyle.
Dr. Mary Stevenson, assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Health in New York, US claimed that how often you shower should depend on a number of personal factors.
Because after all, personal hygiene is just that – personal.
These factors include your skin, age and activity level.
Dr Stevenson suggested “you should be showering, bathing or cleansing yourself every two to three days”.
However, if you’re a gym bunny working up a sweat everyday, then you should be hosing yourself down after each workout.
Skin doctor Stevenson also told Today that how you wash your body is just as important as how often.
“What people tend to do is soap up their entire body, which is really not necessary,” she said.
“You really only need soap in your armpits, your groin and your feet.
“Places where you get stinky.”
This formula has previously been dubbed the privates-pits-piggies method.
Soap is a detergent and breaks down the top layer of oil on your skin, which protects your skin barrier and keeps cells hydrated.
However, over-soaping everywhere could strip these oils completely and leave you prone to sensitive skin.
“Using those more gentle products while you’re washing can be extremely helpful,” Dr Stevenson recommended.
“One kind of cheat sheet is to look at stuff for sensitive skin and for babies because usually, baby products are formulated for sensitive skin.”
What’s more, Dr Stevenson advised against having super long and hot showers as this could disrupt your skin oils and barrier.
“We like to say keep it to three minutes and keep it lukewarm,” she added.