When it comes to washing oneself, one tends to think that the daily practice of bathing is common throughout the world. But reality says otherwise.
66% of Americans bathe daily, compared to 80% of Australians. Meanwhile, that figure reaches only 50% in China. So, faced with these numbers it is worth asking How many times should you bathe a week to be healthy? One has to get a shower every day?
Different investigations try to answer that question, among which one carried out by scientists from the Harvard University, from United States.
According to Medicine School of this prestigious academic institution, bathing every day is not so healthy as it seems and could even be harmful to our body.
According to the experts from that study house, human skin maintains a layer of oil and bacteria “good” in their normal state. When a person takes a bath and bathes daily using hot water, it can produce a harmful impact on the human dermis; among them:
- Dry of the skin, irritations and itching.
- The fur dry It allows the microorganisms present on it to cause infections and allergic reactions.
- The antibacterial soaps can kill “good” bacteria for the skin, altering the vital balance of these microorganisms and promoting the appearance of bacteria stronger and more resilient.
- Weakening of the human immune system that needs to be exposed to external pathogens and dirt to generate antibodies and protect the person.
Although they claim that there is no single answer today, the doctor Robert H. Shmerling former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and current member of Harvard Medical School argued that the water we clean ourselves with can contain salts, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides and other chemicals that also cause health problems.
“Cleansing your body too much is probably not a pressing health problem, and your skin may be drier than it would be if you showered less frequently. This is not a threat to public health. However, daily showers do not improve your health, can cause skin problems and, most importantly, waste a lot of water,” Shmerling said.
“In addition, oils, perfumes and other additives in shampoos, conditioners and soaps can cause their own problems, such as allergic reactions,” the researcher added.
Unless a person is dirty, sweaty, or has specific reasons to bathe daily, Harvard experts suggest that showering several times a week is enough.
And they indicate that short showers (of three or four minutes long) focused on the armpits and groin may be sufficient. And they left different factors to consider:
- Recommended frequency: Bathing every day would not be necessary for most people and could even be harmful as it can strip the skin’s natural oils and cause dryness or irritation. Bathing every 2 or 3 days is enough for most people.
- Activity Level: A person with a very active lifestyle or who sweats a lot may need to bathe more frequently.
- Climate: In hot, humid climates, people may need to bathe more frequently than in cold, dry climates.
- Skin Health: People with dry skin or specific dermatological conditions may decrease the daily frequency of bathing.
- Basic Personal Hygiene: If the person chooses not to bathe every day, they should still maintain good daily hygiene, such as washing their hands regularly, cleaning the face, areas such as the armpits and the genital area.
- Use of mild products: When bathing, it is advisable to use mild soaps and bath products that do not strip the skin’s natural oils. It is also recommended to use warm water instead of hot to avoid drying out the skin.
In line with this study, Dr. Ariel Vilchis Reyes, academic of the Department of Public Health of the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)identified three factors to establish the frequency of a bath: the climate, the biological condition and the physical activity that each person performs.
“If we are in a cold climate, it is best to bathe two or three times a week, But if we are in a hot climate and we sweat a lot, it is recommended to bathe up to two times a day,” explained Vilchis Reyes.
“Regarding the biological condition, each body is different. Some people sweat more than others or have more oil on the surface of their skin, which acts as a protector. The body contains components of different lipid conditions, which form a layer that protects itself from external agents. Removing this layer can generate dermatitis, cellulitis, skin swelling, or another dermatological infection,” the expert said.
And about the physical activity and jobs that require effort, The academic indicated that for people who do more physical activity, The recommendation is to take a double bath a day to eliminate bacteria. that reproduce with sweating. The same applies to people who do work that involves physical effort, for example, bricklayers or garbage collectors.
The Colombian doctor and content creator, doctor Alberto Negrete accurate to Infobae in a recent interview: “It pains me to accept what I am going to say, but this is what science says and we are not going to talk about the exceptions – which there are – we are going to talk about the population in general, where the correct answer is that (you have to bathe) two to three times a week”.
“The same World Health Organization (WHO) says it is every third day, why? According to Harvard, overexposure to water eliminates the natural oils that we have on our skin, which protect us,” added Negrete, who warned that the symptoms are usually mild, but if you continue with this practice, even with signs of dryness or redness , can become a dermatological problem who needs urgent medical attention.
“This alters bacterial balance and, also, can lead to dryness, irritability, itching and gradually cracks may develop in the skin that generate infections or allergic reactions, and yes, if it is with hot water it is worse,” he said.
The New York dermatologist Marisa Garshick, maintained that for some people it is better to go through the soap every day, if they sweat a lot. “It is important to shower to remove sweat and buildup that can contribute to clogged pores and cause rashes.”
“If you have the Greasy hairyou should also wash it with shampoo daily,” said the expert. Her colleague, Azadeh Shirazia dermatologist in La Jolla, California, added that people with dandruff should also shampoo once a day.
He specified this because dandruff is not caused by dry skin, but by a yeast-like fungus that feeds on the oil of the scalp and can inflame the skin, causing it to peel. “Daily shampoo can eliminate the fungus that causes dandruff,” he concluded.
