Air-drying is not bad for your skin! There's no reason you would need to towel off after getting wet, other than the water may get on your clothes or make you a little colder. And as we've covered, air-drying can actually have benefits, so the answer is really quite the opposite!
Aside from the annoyance of a dripping-wet face, Zeichner attests that there's actually no real problem with air-drying. "If you prefer not to pat, air-drying is fine as well, though it may not the most practical option."
Pat your skin dry.
Aggressively rubbing your body with a towel can cause friction and irritation to your skin. Dry skin can flake off and patches of dry skin can spread. Instead, pat or blot your skin gently. Start at the top of your body and work your way down to your toes.
Dr. James says any time there's an increased presence of moisture (like when you're not fully dry after a shower) can create a potential breeding ground that's favorable to yeast.
“Some adults who go longer than 3-4 days between showers run the risk of accumulating patches of dark, scaly skin, especially in oily areas, and an accumulation of 'bad' bacteria which can lead to fungal or bacterial infections,” adds Dr. Young.
Generally, she said, "you should be showering, bathing or cleansing yourself every two to three days." Though, if you're working out or engaging in an activity where you are sweating a lot, you may have to shower more often. The biggest problem that may stem from not showering enough? The stink.
Similarly, you must never wipe any excess water or moisture away from your facial skin with a towel. Rubbing your face with a towel would lead to undesirable wear and tear and even wrinkles. You must use a fresh, clean towel or a paper towel to pat your face completely dry.
But damp bathrooms and towels can quickly become home to many unwanted microorganisms. Regular laundry washes are sufficient for killing germs and refreshing your towels. To keep towels their cleanest, always hang them and let them fully dry between uses.
“The longer your hair stays wet, the more the cortex of your hair will swell and break, resulting in brittle ends and lots of flyaways.” A 2011 study supports that assertion. It found that, though hair dried with increasing levels of heat showed surface damage, hair that was air-dried showed more damage to its cortex.
“Gently blow drying with the right hairdryer on the lowest heat and speed setting until it is 90 percent dry, is actually better for the hair than air-drying,” says Mahony, adding that this largely comes down to your hair's response to being wet.
Unlike dehydrated food that has to use heat, the air-dried process retains a greater amount of the nutrients in the food, bringing a healthier food to your dog's bowl.
Why should you dry yourself after a shower? Dr. James says any time there's an increased presence of moisture (like when you're not fully dry after a shower) can create a potential breeding ground that's favorable to yeast.
She adds, “Vigorous towel-drying the body after the shower is done can cause irritation to the skin and damage the skin barrier, if done frequently. As a rule of thumb, always ensure that you gently pat the skin dry with a soft cotton towel and apply a moisturiser to seal in the moisture after a bath.”
Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health. It depends in part on your lifestyle.
Not patting dry: Especially if you have sensitive skin, take care to pat your face dry rather than rub after you've cleansed. The tugging of a towel can cause irritation, plus years of tugging at your skin can make it lose elasticity. When you rub around your eyes, dark spots are more likely to form.
Leaving water dripping on your face doesn't hydrate it; in fact, when the water evaporates, it could lead to dryness. Remember to pat gently with a soft, antimicrobial towel, being extremely cautious around the sensitive under-eye area.
Contrary to popular myths, the safest way to wash your face is with your hands; washcloths and scrubs can be too abrasive on the skin, and might potentially harm healthy cells, resulting in irritation. It's therefore essential to wash your hands before washing your face.
Another way to help speed up the process of air drying is by using a blow dryer. You can use the blow dryer on your hair after it has been wrung out by hand. You can also point the hair dryer at the rest of your body to help speed up the drying process. The blow dryer can help with getting hard to reach areas.
Do I have to dry myself after a shower? The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you should “blot your skin gently dry with a towel” because rubbing your skin down can lead to dry or flaky skin. That means no furious drying after a shower.
Yes, you could be making your skin drier than it would be with less frequent showering. This is not a public health menace. However, daily showers do not improve your health, could cause skin problems or other health issues — and, importantly, they waste a lot of water.
For people with ablutophobia, that means trying to avoid bathing and washing, which can lead to different problems for health, well-being, and social acceptance.
What's the worst that can happen if you leave a few dead skin cells lingering on your back? The most likely consequence will be a dull complexion. Again, it won't kill you. But it can lead to back acne, better known as bacne.
“Humans tend to perspire at night,” Dr. Goldenberg said. “When you wake up in the morning, there's all this sweat and bacteria from the sheets that's just kind of sitting there on your skin.” So take a quick shower in the morning, he said, “to wash all of that gunk and sweat off that you've been sleeping in all night.”
“Skin will absorb some water during both baths and showers,” said Nazarian. “It's important to utilize the small window of opportunity — less than 30 minutes — after cleansing to apply your moisturizer to damp skin.” And it's important to make it a habit.