A morning shower is how many start their day — but it may be doing more harm than good.
Showering in the morning could be stripping your skin of its natural oils, according to Sally Bloomfield, honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
In fact, Bloomfield said most people shower every day because it’s “socially acceptable” and they want to get rid of body odor — but it is not medically necessary.
“There are microbes on our body that produce nasty odors, but they’re not harmful to us,” she told BBC Radio 5.
Bloomfield said showering more than once a day could wash away the body’s microorganisms that help control oil levels on the skin.
According to Bloomfield, people shower more in the summer because they get sweaty and it’s uncomfortable — but there aren’t necessarily health benefits. People often get confused about the difference between cleanliness and hygiene, she added.
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“Cleanliness is what we do to look and feel clean, but hygiene is the cleaning we do in order to prevent the spread of germs,” she explained.
Bloomfield says there are certain times when you definitely should shower — such as before going into a swimming pool, because you could pass microbes from your body to fellow swimmers.
Hand washing, though, is non-negotiable.
“Hand-washing is still vital to prevent the spread of infections and diseases,” the hygiene expert explained.
According to Healthline, over-showering can also affect your skin by making it drier and more likely to get irritated. There is no hard-and-fast rule about how often someone should shower, with experts recommending whatever works for your skin.
