A shower a day keeps the BO away. Or for the more obsessive clean freaks, twice a day. But did you know there’s such thing as too much showering? Science suggests that showering excessively can strip away healthy bacteria and moisture from your skin. The result? Dry skin, smelly pits and acne. So like all things in life, cleanliness is about balance. Now understandably, after a sweaty workout, be it pumping away at the gym (or in the sack), we crave an extra scrub down. Here’s how to regulate showers properly.
How often should I shower?
The general rule of thumb is to shower once per day, ideally at night. This rule lets you wake up clean and end your day clean. During the day, your body builds up sweat and odor, while also being exposed to air pollutants, allergens and bacteria. The night is perfect for removing this hodgepodge of grossness to keep you fresh.
You can get the most cleaning power from your once-per-day shower by using a natural body soap. It’s more effective than the average drugstore variety because it’s made with antibacterial oils to safely and gently rinse away dirt. With a chemical-based soap, on the other hand, we’re getting alcohol, parabens and sulfates. These harsh antiseptics bulldoze through more than just impurities; they also wipe away our body’s natural oils and microbes, the things that give our skin that healthy, radiant glow. Don’t interrupt nature.
Why not twice daily?
If we shower too often, we slaw away friendly bacteria from our body. We all need these healthy microbes because like a shield, they help create a barrier between our skin and impurities in the environment.
Without this protection, your skin can’t guard against toxins and scum on its own. Once these natural defenses are down, your hygiene problems can worsen. And you can probably guess what happens -- extra odor and flakey skin. So instead of babying yourself with extra showering, go with the tough love approach: one-a-day washing and lots of deodorant.
What if I have body acne?
Body acne is usually caused by three things: synthetic soap, poor diet and finally, too much showering! When you’re aggressively demolishing your skin with harsh soaps and over-cleansing, as mentioned earlier, you’ll ruin your skin’s natural moisture barrier. Without it, you'll leave your skin dehydrated, flakey and in some cases, irritated.
When your body is struggling to produce its own moisture, it may start protecting itself by producing even more oil. Then not only will you get more grease and body odor, you’ll also get more breakouts (chest and back acne).
And while perhaps your brave girlfriend doesn’t mind popping those nasties, it’s better to avoid these “bonding moments” all together. So when wondering, “how often should guys shower?”, your best bet is once daily.
Choosing the right body wash
When choosing a body wash go with an alcohol-free blend containing natural ingredients to ensure your skin doesn't dry out and isn't depleted from vital nutrients needed for healthy looking skin. An all-in-one wash that can be used on your hair, beard, and skin will also save you precious minutes in the shower.
