Are There Health Impacts of Showering or Washing Every Day?
There is a layer of oil and a balance of useful bacteria and other microorganism in a normal and flourishing skin. Washing and scrubbing daily can remove these things, especially when hot water is used frequently. This causes;
- The skin becomes dry, itchy and irritated
- Bacteria and other microorganism thrive in dry skins. They invade the barrier supposed to protect the skin making it susceptible to infections and other allergic reactions
- Antibacterial soaps have the power to kill off useful bacteria in the skin. this disrupts the balance of microorganism on the skin and increases the presence of dangerous, less friendly organisms that are more resistant to drugs (antibiotics) [3]
- The immune systems require a certain amount of activation by normal microorganism, dirt and other environmental factors to maintain the protective antibodies and immune memory [4]. This is why pediatricians and dermatologist advise parents not to bath their kids every day. Bathing frequently throughout a lifetime can decrease the ability of the immune system to do its job.
There are other factors that affect people’s enthusiasm to shower every day. Sometimes water may contain salts, heavy metals [5], chlorine, pesticide [6], fluoride and other chemicals; they can affect the health of the skin.