Taking a shower is important to maintain personal hygiene. Some take a shower with hot water to wake up gently and soothe their muscle tension. Others prefer to take a cold shower to boost the immune system in the morning. But if the shower stimulates awakening, is it necessary to take it every day?
To preserve their personal hygiene, some opt for daily showers. From an early age, they were taught this habit for the sake of cleanliness. But do you really have to wash every day? Is it good for the skin, for the hair, for the planet? We tell you everything.
Take a shower every day? Yes, but …
The debate keeps coming up: should you wash every day to cleanse the skin or, on the contrary, does a daily shower risk irritating the epidermis, the protective skin barrier? In reality, a shower eliminates dead cells, excess sebum, sweat, bacteria and pollution. Only, it would seem that a shower eliminates not only the bad elements, but also the good ones, explains Marie-Estelle Roux, dermatologist. And for good reason, a daily shower can alter the hydrolipidic film which keeps the skin hydrated and protected against external aggressions. When you wash, part of this hydrolipidic film is eliminated. In addition, a daily shower can eliminate the good bacteria present on the surface of the skin, and promote skin infections. Thus, the dermatologist advises limiting showers, especially for people with atopic dermatitis such as eczema. For others, it is advisable to apply a moisturizing milk after the shower to preserve the hydration of the skin.
How Often Should You Shower?
According to dermatologist, washing every two or three days is enough for most people. However, the frequency with which you should shower depends on several factors such as your daily physical activity, your degree of perspiration or the outside temperature. When it is hot, we tend to wash more than usual to lower our body temperature and to eliminate sweat and bad odors. As you will have understood, taking a daily shower does not really have any health consequences. Nevertheless, it is advisable not to take too long showers and to avoid using too much shampoo and soap to preserve our planet. In addition, it is best to avoid hot water to combat irritation and dry skin. experts advise showering with lukewarm water and using mild soap.
What about washing hair in the shower?
According to experts, too frequent washing of the hair can cause dryness, dehydration, oiliness or itching. To wash your hair and maintain it, it is therefore not always necessary to wash it daily. If you have normal hair, you only need to wash it twice a week with shampoo to keep it clean and healthy. If your hair is dry, choose to wash it once or twice a week with a mild shampoo. Then apply a moisturizer or oil to intensely nourish them.
Finally, if you have oily hair, you can wash it every day or every other day to prevent the scalp from producing excess sebum.