Oh, the shower. A place of respite and rejuvenation. Post middle-school, most people enjoy at least one shower a day. (Or, if you’re like this contributor, a shower each time you need to clear your head!) That leaves a curious question though—is it possible to shower too often? If so, how can you tell if you are showering too often, and what sort of affects can extra washing have on the body?
- Your skin gets dry and itchy
Skin has a protective layer of oils and “good” bacteria, which protect it from irritants. If this layer is stripped away by abrasives or soaps, the topmost part of your skin will become dry, itchy, and flakey.
2. You get ill more often
That protective layer of bacteria aids your body’s immune system, by providing it with small-scale problems to fight off, making your immune response stronger. Antibacterial soaps will eliminate these bacteria, which will have to take time to regenerate.
3. Your hair becomes greasy, frizzy, or damaged
Your scalp is extremely sensitive to chemicals. An over-washed scalp will respond by attempting to balance itself out, again. For some people, this may mean your pores work harder to grease your stripped-clean hair, in turn, causing you to wash it again. For others, the scalp may not be able to counteract the washings quickly, leaving you with dandruff or hair breakage.
4. Your salon bill will increase
People with hair treatments, like coloring, perms, or blowouts will find themselves in need of refreshment sooner, if they wash their hair and body often. Hot water and shampoos will strip treatment from the hair, leaving it dull and damaged.
Luckily, these affects are fairly minimal, when compared with skipping a day of washing. It isn’t necessary to eliminate or “cut-back” on your daily shower (or showers!), but bear in mind that the body keeps count, and replenish lost levels with lotion or conditioner.
Alright, that’s enough for today. Hit the showers!
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/beauty/shower-how-often
https://www.today.com/shop/how-often-shower-t248281
https://www.insider.com/how-much-should-you-shower-2018-10#you-have-stubborn-dandruff-5
