There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. 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.
How Often Should Adults Shower? Showering daily is not necessarily "unhealthy," but you may not need to. For many people, a full-body shower every other day or even every third day is enough. That said, just because you don't shower daily does not mean you want to skip out on personal care.
Regardless, don't go more than a couple of days without a shower—every other day is about the longest you'll want to wait. Depending on the type of deodorant you use—deodorants for women range from traditional to natural aluminum-free formulas—you may need to wash your armpits more frequently with soap and water.
"A skipped shower here or there probably won't trigger body odor, especially if you haven't been exercising," the experts at Healthline write. But after a month, they note, you'd get a little—or maybe a lot—stinky.
Unless you are very active, have bad body odour, or live in a hot environment, one shower every other day is plenty for most people as your body does not get dirty so quickly that you need to wash frequently and you are unlikely to smell after one day without showering.
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.
Generally, most people only really need to take a few showers a week. Dr. Stevenson suggests two to three showers a week for the average person. Melissa Piliang, M.D., a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF something similar: every two or three days.
In the United States, most people bathe daily but, in other countries, many people bathe only 2-3 times per week or less. Many times it can come down to habit and ritual, as daily showers can help people feel more awake, avoid body odor, relax tight muscles or simply because that's what they've been taught to do.
For his new book, "Clean: The New Science of Skin," physician James Hamblin didn't shower for five years.
Occasionally, the refusal to shower could be linked to certain mental health problems. For example, teens with serious depression may lack the interest and energy to shower. 2 But taking a shower won't be the only problem they'll struggle with; depression could also lead to academic and social problems.
It's OK to Shower Once a Week, and Other Pandemic Hygiene Habits That Are Fine, Actually. We may earn a commission from links on this page. During the pandemic, some of us may have been showering less (perhaps much less) even as we spent more time sanitizing surfaces (well, at first).
Generally, she says, "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.
If you take it from a certified germ expert, though, you can skip showering for as long as you wish. "You can probably go for as long as you want without showering without too much affecting your health," says Jason Tetro, a microbiologist and author of The Germ Files.
Australians have the status of being one of the cleanest nations on the planet. 90 per cent of women and 80 per cent of men bathe or shower at least once daily according to a 2008 report by the SCA, a leading global hygiene company.
Ninety-nine percent of Brazilians shower each week, compared to only 90 percent of Americans. Great Britain has the lowest rate of showering per week, at 83 percent. According to the infographic, the leading country where more than 95% of the population showers daily is Italy.
Skin irritation, says Dr. Aishah Muhammad, M.D. “Dead skin and grease naturally gather on the top layer of skin,” she said, “and by not washing, this buildup can leave your skin feeling itchy and dry.” Other skin irritation, like dryness or red, inflamed patches that you don't usually experience, can build.
Normal, healthy skin maintains a layer of oil and a balance of "good" bacteria and other microorganisms. Washing and scrubbing removes these, especially if the water is hot. As a result: Skin may become dry, irritated, or itchy.
Your pores can be a major source of body odor, and they don't always get an adequate cleaning, Neubrander says. "Despite a superficial scrub with soap, removing compounds and organisms on the surface of the skin, the pores themselves are not easily washed clean and emptied," he explains.
Doctors say that overuse of soap removes the skin's natural protective oils and good bacteria. This can exacerbate or cause complaints such as dermatitis. The longer one stays in the shower, the more of the skin's oils are removed.
The short answer: It depends on your lifestyle. “If you're very physically active or work in an environment where you're exposed to chemicals, dirt, or dust, showering daily or twice daily may be ideal to keep skin clean,” says Dr. Herrmann. “For the average person, once daily usually suffices.”
The oldest accountable daily ritual of bathing can be traced to the ancient Indians. They used elaborate practices for personal hygiene with three daily baths and washing. These are recorded in the works called grihya sutras which date back to 500 BCE and are in practice today in some communities.