10 ways people are showering wrong

June 7, 2016  21:38

There's nothing as invigorating as a long, hot shower to wake us up in the morning.

But many of us are making simple mistakes that could actually harm our health, experts warn.

For example, while showering every day keeps us smelling fresh, it actually disturbs the natural bacteria on our skin and strips it of the oils that keep it supple.

And keeping our loofah for too long means it become riddled with bacteria - which can get into cuts and cause infection.

From ditching a razor to only soaping certain parts of the body, experts reveal the ways you're showering all wrong - and what to do instead... 

1. SHOWERING EVERY DAY

Most of us wouldn't dream of going a day without showering.

But a study conducted by the University of California found that too much washing can actually be bad for you, because it strips away beneficial bugs that the body uses to help ward off infections.

'A vigorous daily shower would disturb the natural bug flora of the skin as well as skin oils,' revealed John Oxford, Professor of Virology at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry. 

He said we think we need to shower as much as we do.

'As long as people wash their hands often enough and pay attention to the area of the body below the belt, showering or bathing every other day would do no harm.

'Even twice a week would not be a problem if people used a bidet daily as most infectious bugs hang around our lower halves.

'We pay too much attention to the body beautiful and smelling good, with perfumes for men and women,' he added.

'We should wash to stop cross-infection, not for grooming reasons.' 

And showering every day can also strip the skin of natural oils that help trap water to keep it moist, leading to dry skin and exacerbating conditions such as eczema.

It also brings blood to the surface of the skin, which is why you turn pink after a shower.

This brings inflammation which can make the skin become more inflamed and itchy.

Moreover, it can raise the risk of infections. 

Studies looking at people who clean their skin extensively, leaving it very dry, or who have eczema, found skin problems such as impetigo and infections are more likely.

This is because ‘good’ bugs are removed, making the environment ideal for bad bugs to flourish. 

2. SHOWERING FOR TOO LONG 

Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson said people should also keep their showers short rather than languishing under the water.

She told MailOnline: ‘You probably shouldn’t be showering for more than 20 minutes. Water is an irritant, so the longer you’re in there, the more irritated and dry your skin will become.

‘Oil from the sebaceous glands hydrate the skin, so showering for too long strips it of moisture.’

She added that the best time to moisturise is immediately after getting out shower - after patting dry - because the pores are open.  

3. USING SOAP

Washing with soap every day could affect our immunity, warns Dr Robyn Chutkan, of the Digestive Center for Women, Maryland. 

Dr Chukan, who is author of The Microbiome Solution, said it strips our skin of the bacteria that keeps us free from conditions like acne and eczema.

The human body has trillions of bacteria on the skin and in the gut, known as the microbiome - and this delicate balance affects our health.

Regular contact with grime, rather than being harmful, teaches these communities of bacteria how to tell the difference between friendly germs and harmful pathogens, she said.

Dr Chutkan said a mild soap made from organic ingredients is the only one she recommends.

Most anti-bacterial soaps are filled with harsh chemicals that upset the balance of bacteria on the skin, she said.

And washing with anything other than water is largely unnecessary, she said, as the only places that need daily soaping are the armpits and the groin.

The rest of the body can simply be rinsed – even after a sweaty workout, she added.

‘Dirt doesn’t cause disease — but repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin may actually harm our immunity,’ she told Health.com journalists.

During cold and flu season, people should be more cautious, washing their hands regularly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, she said.

Washing in this way dislodges viruses and bacteria.

But hand santitisers are also unnecessary, she added.

‘Unless you’ve been hanging out on an Ebola ward, the vast majority of microbes on your skin and hands are not virulent germs that cause serious infection; they’re harmless bacteria that won’t hurt you.’

She said spending one day a week on a farm can improve immunity by making the microbiome more diverse - as can eating lunch in a park or volunteering at a community garden.

4. RUBBING SOAP ON THE WHOLE BODY

Soap dislodges dirt and oil from the body, allowing water to wash it away.

But the skin on the arms and legs doesn't contain a lot of oil, so cleaning them with soap just makes them dry. 

Instead, people should concentrate on soaping the odorous parts of the body - the armpits, buttocks, groin and feet, said Dr Mahto.

As the skin gets thinner and drier as we age, older people should use less soap to prevent flaky skin, she added.

5. LETTING THE SHOWER BLAST ON YOUR FACE

While many of us would assume that tilting our face upwards beneath refreshing running water is the key to getting squeaky clean skin, the heat and pressure of the water is in fact causing damage, skincare expert Kaye Scott told Daily Mail Australia.

'A lot of people still wash their faces under the shower, at the same temperature and pressure as what they wash their body with,' revealed Ms Scott, founder and co-director of The Clinic in Sydney's Bondi.

'But this is not a good idea.

'A hot shower can cause and exacerbate fragile capillary networks in the cheeks, leading to unattractive, visible capillary networks and worsened impaired skin conditions,' she said. 

Other dermatologists agree that such hot conditions for our skin can lead to over-cleansing and can also rid our faces of their natural, protective oils.

Pleasurable as it might feel to stand under scalding hot water, it can serve to irritate and dry out the skin as well as dilating blood vessels - making your face look more red.

'The best way to keep your skin looking its flawless best is to cleanse and rinse at the bathroom sink, always ensuring the tap water is tepid, no hotter,' Scott said. 

Because you're not directly facing in to the stream of water to rinse off your cleanser, you save your skin from damage.

When you wash your face at the sink you're cupping the water, which means you're using less and you are also making it cooler on your skin.

Plus, such a cleansing technique also gives you the option to turn on the cold tap and splash your face at the end of your routine, which can help to close your pores and stimulate circulation. 

6. USING A POUF 

Poufs and loofahs are a haven for bacteria — the dead skin cells they scrub so well from our body get caught up in the nooks where bacteria can feed on them.

‘The warm, damp environment of the shower is an ideal growth medium for bacteria and mould.

'Also, because poufs take time to dry and may well retain dead skin cells, it’s a potential source of infection,’ said dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting.

‘Over-exfoliating can damage the skin’s vital barrier function, making it more susceptible to invasion by bugs harboured in the loofah.’

Plastic poufs should be replaced at least every two months.

To keep it clean, wet your pouf and put it on a medium heat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

You can also try the washing machine or dishwasher. And keep the pouf in a dry place, by an open window, rather than in the shower.

Natural loofahs can be prone to mould, but don’t clean them in the microwave.

Wash them thoroughly with soap and then leave them to soak in a litre of water with four tablespoons of vinegar for two hours, and dry them on a windowsill. 

7. SHAMPOOING WITH HOT WATER

'I’m a great believer in looking after hair as we would our skin. It’s fine to wash your hair daily, you wouldn’t not wash your face every day, but there are some things to consider,' said Andrew Barton, a hairdresser at Urban Retreat, Harrods.

'Did you know that you only need to use product on your scalp and no necessarily the ends?' 

By working your shampoo into the top section of the hair and then rinsing it out, it automatically cleanses the ends and stops damage occurring in the lengths.

Extreme care should be taken when washing the hair and while people may think scrubbing hard will thoroughly cleanse it, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Putting too much pressure on the scalp can actually result in greasier hair.

As Mr Barton explained: 'Don’t rub your scalp too vigorously. This will encourage oil secretion from the sebaceous gland'.

Stylists also say it's imperative to rinse your hair for twice the amount of time as lathering on product and never use hot water.

'Women often wash their hair with water which is too hot, thinking it will make hair cleaner,' said Mr Barton.

Washing the hair in tepid water is better for the follicles with the added bonus of saving money on your bills.

'The hot water activates the sebaceous gland which secretes oil and can leave hair greasy soon after washing. Use warm, tepid water for ultra clean hair and to extend the life of your blow dry.' 

8. SHOWERING IN HARD WATER

Dr Laura Ishmail, an aesthetic doctor, said the water in the UK is 'hard' meaning it has high levels of calcium.

This can irritate the skin of people with conditions like eczema, she told MailOnline.

'Some patients can't shower in normal water and use Evian instead,' she said. 'I wouldn’t advocate this as its too costly.'

She said sufferers might want to think about installing water filters in their shower. 

 'Water filters might softer against the skin for eczema. But I would also advocate not having a shower as often,' she added.

9. WASHING YOUR FACE WITH A HARSH CLEANSER

Washing your face removes many bugs from the surface of our skin, particularly if you use cleansers containing alcohol as this kills bacteria.

Most cleansers also contain soap, and this reduces the amount of oil in our skin, which loosens the bacteria’s hold — so they fall off, explained Hugh Pennington, an emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen.

This cleanliness is short-lived, as the layer of bugs rebuilds itself within about 20 minutes.

The problem is that we have bacteria on our hands, and when we touch our faces, as we inevitably do, many of the bugs that have adapted to live on moist surfaces such as our face will quickly be transferred back.

So, as Professor Pennington said, ‘cleansing is mainly to clear away dirt, which makes you look cleaner — but as far as bacteria go, it could be a bad thing because it makes it more likely that harmful bugs will take their place’.

Both good and bad bacteria have an equal chance of recolonising the skin, added Dr Bowater, but antibacterial face washes may tip the balance in favour of the bad.

This is because they contain harsh chemicals that dry out the skin if used regularly, so could make it less friendly to good bacteria that like moisture, and give more chances for bad bugs to survive. 

Swabs from various areas of the face have revealed 18 different kinds of bacteria that live exclusively on the side of our nose (in the crease between the nostril and our cheek), and 15 different species that live behind our ears, said Dr Bowater.

It is thought our relationship with these bugs is mutually beneficial.

The bugs act as a ‘barrier’ to harmful bugs, while for the bugs themselves these fuller parts of the skin (compared with, say, the dry skin on our legs) is rich in nutrients such as salt from sweat and chemicals in hair follicles that they can live on.  

10. USING A RAZOR

On a reusable razor, stubble and mould can collect in the space where the blade cartridge attaches to the handle. If that mould gets in contact with the skin it can cause irritation. 

And a moist blade kept in the shower, harbouring old hair and dead skin, can lead to ingrown hairs and irritation when shaving because the blade becomes blunt.

To combat this, every two weeks, soak your razor for five to ten minutes in bleach or vinegar diluted in water and scrub it with a toothbrush.

Clean blades rubbing surgical spirit on a cotton pad, then towel dry. And always keep your razor on a dry surface.

‘Change a blade at the first sign that it starts to drag against the skin,’ said Dr Bunting. ‘If used every day, ten days is a good rule of thumb. Rinse it in hot water after every use and air-dry.  

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