While many people believe that daily body washing is essential for cleanliness and hygiene, others believe it strips the body of its natural oils and dries the skin.
What do the experts say about this body-washing controversy?
According to Derrick Phillips, consultant dermatologist at London’s Cadogan Clinic, washing once a day is ideal for social reasons but may not be absolutely necessary for your health.
“Washing once a day is sufficient for the majority of children and adults to maintain a socially acceptable level of personal hygiene and cleanliness,” he says.
When it comes to bathing’s health effects, our bodies have it mostly under control.
“The skin is self-cleaning and exfoliates naturally,” he says. “Scrubbing aids in the removal of physical dirt and reinforces the perception of cleanliness, but it is not required.”
In other words, taking a daily shower will help you smell and feel fresh and clean, but scrubbing your entire body from head to toe every day is unlikely to make you any “cleaner.”
Some are concerned that showering could actually harm the skin, leading to:
- dryness
- irritation
- infection
- skin microbiome disruption
According to Dr. Adarsh Mudgil, a dermatologist in New York, there is little evidence to support the theory that daily bathing is harmful.
Daily washing “isn’t necessary, but I also don’t believe it’s harmful to our skin, as has been widely reported in the media recently,” he says. “Bathing daily can make the skin drier if you don’t moisturize, but that’s about all that can be proven. Its effects on our microbiome are unknown.”
Also see: Why having a dog can improve your overall health
