Taking a shower every day – can that also be unhealthy?
Created: 04/03/2022 15:39
By: Franziska Kaindl
Do you shower every day?
Read here whether this is harmful to the skin.
© Mikel Quina/Imago
For many Germans, the daily shower is simply part of it.
But again and again one hears that this damages the skin.
What's behind it?
Do you need a shower in the morning to wake up and start the day?
Or do you want to go to bed refreshed after a hard workout?
Showering once a day is common practice for many.
But is it really good for the skin if it is treated with soap and water* every day?
Again and again the question arises whether
daily showering
might even do more harm than good.
We have the answer for you.
The acid mantle of the skin protects against harmful germs
Healthy skin is surrounded by a
natural acid mantle
, i.e. a film of water and fat that contains sebum and sweat, among other things.
This ensures that harmful germs cannot multiply and thus offers protection against diseases.
When you shower, the skin's own fats are washed off the top layer of skin, the so-called epidermis, as the online health magazine of the AOK informs.
This effect is enhanced by soap.
But you don't usually have to worry about that: the healthy environment on the protective acid layer is usually restored within a few hours after showering.
Also Read
: Brave Experiment: This Is What Happens When You Don't Shower For A Year.
Shower daily?
If you have sensitive skin, you should be more careful
But what does that say about how often you should shower?
There is actually no scientific study on this.
However, various dermatologists have already commented on this in the past: "
Taking a shower once a day is totally fine
," said dermatologist Christoph Liebich from Munich some time ago, according to
Focus Online
.
The dermatologist Uta Schlossberger agreed: "I'm a fan of showering once or twice a day."
Nevertheless, if you have sensitive skin, it's advisable to shower less often
.
Everyone's skin is different, as the health magazine of the AOK states.
Some people can shower every day without ever having a problem with their skin - and for others, it's sensitive to it.
It is less advisable to take a shower every day,
especially if you have
dry skin .
The water also dries them out.
Also interesting
: Doctor warns: That's why the "cleaning mania" of the Germans is so dangerous.
How often should you really shower?
According to experts, it is generally sufficient
to shower two to three times a week
.
Schlossberger also recommends using a pH-neutral soap so as not to damage the skin's protective acid mantle.
Apart from that, it is completely sufficient to rub armpits, hands, feet and the middle of the chest and back with soap.
A damp washcloth is sufficient for the rest of the skin.
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