Former Director Grade Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
www.daylife.page
With change in lifestyle and available facilities we are also changing. Due to some of us may overuse of easily available facilities. For example, while the importance of bathing several days a week, if not daily, is critical to your overall health and hygiene, spending too much or not enough time in the shower can lead to issues with your skin. The skin is the largest organ It serves as a protective shield against heat, light, injury, and infection. More than just a shield on our body; this complex organ plays a vital role in regulating body temperature, sensing the environment, and defending against harmful elements.
People say that beauty's only skin deep; it's what's on the “inside” that counts. Our insides are certainly important, but skin is your first layer of defense against the outside world. Skin can also give important clues to your overall health.
How long one should take shower?
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average shower lasts 8 minutes. If you like to linger in the shower for longer than 15 minutes, you might want to rethink your hygiene routine.
According to most dermatologists, the recommended maximum shower time is about 5 to 10 minutes. This is enough time to cleanse and hydrate the skin without overdoing it. “Our skin needs water, just like our bodies, but if we over- or underdo it, then it may have serious consequences.
And if you have dry skin or eczema have a shorter, lukewarm shower. Moreover, the Baylor College of Medicine says it’s especially important to avoid hot showers in the wintery months since the heat can damage the surface of the skin, which can lead to inflammation and increase symptoms of eczema.
Side effects of long showers
While a long, hot shower might seem the best way to pamper our body, over-showering may dehydrate the skin. The purpose of showering is to hydrate and cleanse the skin, but warm or hot showering for prolonged periods strips away natural oils of the skin opens up our pores, and allows moisture to escape. To keep moisture in, usually, it was recommended to apply a body moisturizer after showering to the skin since it allows the water (hydration) to stay in the skin and not escape.
Side effects of short showers
Overwashing has consequences, it’s safe to say that under-showering also poses problems. In general, under-showering may not thoroughly cleanse the skin.
“We all have normal bacteria and organisms that live on our skin (normal flora), and this protects our skin from injury or insult. If the balance is tilted toward the overgrowth of normal or healthy flora, she says this may increase the risk of skin infection—not to mention the risk of body odour if you consistently under-wash your skin.
Choosing hot, warm, or cold water
There are benefits to hot, warm, and cold water showers. But if you’re unsure which temperature is best for you, go with a warm or lukewarm shower. Warm, rather than hot water, is better for skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Using warm water, rather than hot, can also help keep your water bill down.
Cold showers may also have a few benefits such as reducing muscle soreness, calming irritated or itchy skin, and of course, helping you wake up in the morning. Hot showers, on the other hand, can help you manage the symptoms of a cold or cough by loosening phlegm and opening airways.
How often should you shower?
Knowing how long you should stand under the water is just part of the equation. It would help if you also were mindful of how often you shower. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people do not need more than one shower a day.
there is a need to clean our body more than once a day, such as if you engage in a sport or activity that causes you to sweat. You should shower when finished. If that’s the case, make sure the water is lukewarm and moisturize immediately following a shower.
How to shower properly?
What you do in the shower matters just as much as how often you shower and how long you let the water penetrate your skin. “There are many ways to shower, but the simplest and most gentle way is to use your hands,” Steps for showering include:
1. Get the body wet with warm, but not hot, water
2. Use a simple bar of soap or liquid cleanser.
3. Make suds with your hands, and wash the body in a top-down manner, or from your head to toes.
4. Don’t forget all the nooks and crannies such as the folds of skin, underarms, groin, and in between the toes.
5. Shower for 5 to 10 minutes, not more
6. Apply moisturizer after drying off.
(The author has his own study and views)
