How Often Should You Shower?

How often should you shower? And can you shower too often? Stay clean while saving water by following these incredibly simple dos and don'ts.

Wondering how often you should shower? Well, it’s a tricky question since all of us are different. Depending on your lifestyle, fitness habits and the environment where you live, you will need to shower more or less due to these individual factors.

Obviously, the goal is to shower regularly enough to maintain good personal hygiene and reduce any sweaty body odors. So, the more showers the better, right? Not really. Overdoing the showers and soaps can cause skin dryness and irritation. Sometimes, less is more.

baths vs showers How much water does a shower use — Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / 955169

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Showering too often can irritate your skin.
(Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / tookapic)

Aside from the obvious waste of water, if you shower excessively — particularly if you scrub hard and use soap — you risk stripping your skin’s natural layer of protective oil. This oil helps maintain a balance of ‘good’ bacteria on the skin’s surface, preventing dryness and protecting against germs and infections. Excessive showering and hard scrubbing will only lead to itchy and irritated skin that might crack or bleed, allowing allergies, germs and infections to develop.

There is no one-size-fits-all. While most doctors say that a daily shower is ideal for most folks, others propose that three a week is enough to maintain consistently good overall health.

That said, people who spend hours working in hot and humid conditions or working out will need to up the number of showers. Those of us with more leisurely routines and indoor work environments can get away with fewer.

Aside from temperature changes affecting your shower habits, you should consider other factors as well. If you are already prone to allergies like hay fever or have oily skin, it is a good idea to shower more often. However, for those inclined to dry skin and itchiness, showering less will be better in the long run.

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Use fewer fragranced soaps and harsh cleansers in the winter when you sweat less.
(Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / Pexels)

In the winter, cold outdoor temperatures combined with hot showers can be tough on your skin. With this in mind, adjust your approach to showers a bit during the cooler months.

First, reduce the water temperature and shorten your time in the shower if you do it frequently. Alternatively, you might want to shower less often but enjoy hotter water. In the winter, there will generally be less need to rinse off constantly since you won’t be as sweaty as in the summer.

Furthermore, avoid fragrant soaps and shower gels and opt for gentler substitutes to keep your skin happy.

How Often Should You Shower When It's Hot?

People shower more often in the summer due to more sweat and physical activity.
(Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / FotografieLink)

In warmer seasons and hotter areas of the world, many people shower daily. Summertime also means we’re likelier to use more soap and hygiene products to counteract potential body odor. Due to the increased temperatures, perspiration and activity levels, people generally lather up more regularly.

When increasing how much you shower, you may want to lower the water temperature to avoid drying and irritating your skin. Unless you do extreme physical activities on the hottest days of the year, you don’t have to shower daily.

Smart Tips for Showering

A quick rinse is usually enough if you shower every day.
(Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / midascode)

Despite how individual needs affect our shower times, some constants still apply to most of us. Here are a few tips:

Aim for a five-minute maximum and focus on the most important areas of your body, like the face, groin and armpits. Remember, unless you’ve been neck-deep in dirt or grime all day, it really isn’t necessary to scrub every inch of your skin with soap and hot water.
You don’t need to shampoo your hair every day, either. Washing hair up to three times a week is more than enough for most people, regardless of hair type.
Go easy on the high temperature. Yes, there is nothing quite like a hot shower after a long chilly day, but it increases skin irritation and makes it dry and itchy. Rather than steaming hot water, aim for a comfortably warm temperature to go easy on your skin.
Certain soaps can dry and irritate your skin if used excessively, so choose shower gels, soaps and cleansers labeled hypoallergenic or for sensitive skin. Baby soap is one of the gentlest soaps you can get and is widely available. Meanwhile, perfumes and fragrances can be irritating, depending on your skin type, so take a look at some of our natural alternatives: DIY: Homemade Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin, Glycerin for Skin: 3 Benefits, the Risks & DIY Instructions and How to Use Aloe Vera on Hair + Benefits & Drawbacks.
After your shower, gently pat excess water away instead of rubbing dry to avoid stripping your skin of its natural oil. If you have dry skin, apply a gentle moisturizer five minutes after cleansing.

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Tags: Guide Healthy Living Personal Hygiene Self-Care