Did you know that simply using antibacterial soap on your body can throw off your healthy bacteria balance? Our bodies need different kinds of bacteria and, when we overdo it with the antibacterial soap, it paves the way for harmful bacteria with antibiotic resistance to take over. On top of that, skin that’s dry or cracked can let in bacteria and allergens that cause things like infections or allergic reactions… and–let’s be honest–who has time for that?! Too much of a good thing like over showering can lead to some of the same issues it sets out to solve in the first place. This can make your skin itchy, dry, or just plain irritated. Too much washing and scrubbing, especially in hot water, can take off your skin’s layer of oil and “good” bacteria that leaves it smooth and healthy. The biggest health issue caused by daily showering is that it strips your body of some much-needed and protective essential oils. Actually, doing so can have both a negative health and environmental impact. Nowadays, doctors, bacteriologists, cosmetologists (beauty professionals, not to be confused with cos mologists like Stephen Hawking), dermatologists, hairstylists, and many other -ists insist that people do not need to bathe so frequently. until deodorants came along in the 1800's. At that time, it was our best and only defense against B.O. Thus, showering daily became automatically programmed into the lives of most Americans. Meanwhile, body odor and bad breath were increasingly demonized as a threat to longevity and social life (and must surely reflect a person’s poor character). Believe it or not, this kind of marketing was actually effective! Products sold like hotcakes. In the early 20th century, companies began pushing hygiene in a way that both offended people and drew on their insecurities. WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE OVERBATHE WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE TO? This is a concept that goes against what our pop culture tells us, but science is already behind it. It’s basically like shutting the water off while you brush your teeth on a much larger scale! You may be surprised to find out the concept of showering daily has much more to do with habit and assumption than health. What if I told you it’s actually healthier to skip the daily shower? Skipping showers also conserves water. The fact that two-thirds of Americans shower on a daily basis means this is something most of us just do, sometimes without even questioning. Showering in the morning has become so routine for me that I’ve even sleepwalked my way into the shower before I realized I’m in there… But I’m not alone. It’s right up there with finding a source of precious caffeine to get you through the day. How often do you shower? In the U.S., many of us consider daily showers a ritual that goes hand in hand with waking up in the morning.
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