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The Great Shower Debate
Hollywood has refueled the great shower debate in 2021. The level of cleanliness that a person wants is a matter of preference. But, one can assume that a person who showers daily comes out a winner if the cleaner games were a sport.
We live in a polluted world. Our earth's air quality is not what it was back in ancient Roman times. As a result, humans are continuously around others' dead skin cells floating in the atmosphere, particles, chemicals, allergens, and many more pollutants.
Dax Shepard advised his Armchair Expert co-host, Monica Padman, "You should not be getting rid of the natural oil on your skin with a bar of soap every day [only water]."
Padman rebuked the statement by saying, "I can't believe I am in the minority here of washing my whole body in the shower. Who taught you to not wash?"
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair on August 5, '21, "More and more, I find bathing to be less necessary at times. I do also think that there's a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves." He does brush his teeth every day.
As for the health benefits of not showering, none exist. Some celebrities have said that it helps our microbiome or maintains our natural oils. It doesn't seem so when sweat turns to odor which is bacteria manifesting. Yes, we have good bacteria, but it's mixed with the stinky stuff. Please read about the microbiome in our exclusive interview with gastroenterologist Dr. Doron David Kahana.
"The gastrointestinal tract exposes us to our external environment to a greater extent than any other organ, not even our skin, which has a very strong barrier, which really exposes us to our external environment.
We constantly sense and taste our environment through our gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the majority of the immune system resides in the gut. So that's something else that a lot of people don't realize—is that most of our immunity is in the gut." Dr. Kahana
There are consequences to not washing. There's a reason a home has dust accumulating day in and day out—dead skin cells. A person can get a rash from being unclean, such as dermatitis neglecta. Skin can develop itchy patches from dirt, bacteria, pollutants, or allergens stuck on the skin, oil build-up, leading to breakouts. It can trigger skin conditions like eczema because of unnatural particles on the skin.
When showering, it's essential to know the ingredients that are in your body wash. Water quality can be factored in, too. If someone is showering with soap filled with toxic ingredients, naturally, the skin will be affected negatively. That's why RxESCUESKIN always encourages clean, non-toxic, and cruelty-free personal care products.
Of course, newborns are exempt from this information. So, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are correct in not washing their kids daily as newborns.
On the other hand, Kristen Bell says that she "waits for the stink" when it comes to bathing her kids.
There are endless benefits to taking a shower every day.
Being clean and smelling clean.
A cold shower releases the chemicals dopamine and endorphins to increase happiness, relaxation while de-stressing the body.
Actor Dwayne Johnson tweeted, "I'm the opposite of a 'not washing themselves' celeb. Shower (cold) when I roll outta bed to get my day rollin'. Shower (warm) after my workout before work. Shower (hot) after I get home from work. Face wash, body wash, exfoliate, and I sing (off-key) in the shower."
Cleaner bed linens and furniture surfaces. Have you shampooed a couch? Everything on a person's skin rubs onto surfaces. Who wants to sleep on a bed that smells of yesterday's funk?
Washing our faces is a bit more intricate. We don't need to overdo it, unless our skin needs more than one full washing per day. Usually, a few splashes of water in the morning is fine for most people.
Bathing some body parts is better than nothing. But if you're going to solely wash armpits, intimate components, feet, and the face, why not just shower the whole body? No need to waste water with long showers when everything can be washed in five minutes.
Always consult with a board certified dermatologist regarding your skin, especially if you have any skin conditions. Taking care of yourself mentally and physically is important. How far you go is personal but it sure feels good to be clean.
