Do we shower more than we need to?
Most of us shower daily but some experts say even once a day is too often.
Two dermatologists tell BuzzFeed that the frequency of our showers is more because of societal norms rather than actual hygiene. They say showering too much, especially in hot water, can have some adverse effects. These include: drying out and irritating skin, washing away good bacteria that actually exists on your skin and introducing small cracks that put you at a higher risk of infection.
So what do they recommend? The dermatologists say that while your activity level and climate affect how often you want to shower, they say you can probably skip the once a day and take one every two to three days.
If you can't handle that, they recommend using a soapy washcloth or cleansing towelette to remove the odor-causing bacteria on the days you don't shower from the grossest parts of your body. The dermatologists define the grossest parts as face, underarms, under the breasts, genitals and rear end.
One thing you should definitely do daily? Change your undergarments. Studies find we shed more dirt and oil on our clothes than we do in the shower.
Read the full story from BuzzFeed here.