Showering offers numerous benefits for both the mind and body, but limiting shower time to just a few minutes can carry hidden health risks. Pharmacist Abbas Kanani from Chemist Click warns that showering for less than five minutes may not be sufficient to cleanse your body and could lead to bacterial or fungal infections.
Mr. Kanani recommends an optimal shower duration of eight to ten minutes. However, showering for too long can also pose undesirable health risks, as it can strip the skin of its natural oils, making it dry. To maintain moisture after showering, he advises using a hydrating cream.
Is Showering Every Day Harmful?
Showering every day can be tempting as this practice helps wake you up and eliminate unwanted body odors. However, daily showering may be detrimental, as healthy skin maintains a layer of oil and a balance of "good" bacteria and other microorganisms. Showering every day washes away these oils, especially if the water is very hot.
Daily showering can cause the skin to become dry or irritated, and cracked dry skin may allow bacteria and allergens to penetrate the barrier the skin is supposed to provide, leading to skin infections and allergic reactions.
Antibacterial soap can kill natural bacteria, disrupting the balance of microorganisms on the skin and encouraging the proliferation of tougher, less friendly, and more antibiotic-resistant organisms.
Our immune systems require a certain amount of stimulation from normal microorganisms, dirt, and other environmental exposures to develop protective antibodies and "immune memory." This is one reason why some pediatricians and dermatologists recommend against daily bathing for children. Frequent showering may reduce the immune system's ability to function optimally, according to the British newspaper Express.
