- Optimal hygiene frequency is important for removing impurities, sweat and excess dead cells from the skin’s surface.
- However, showering too frequently can compromise the protective skin barrier, leading to dryness and making the body more susceptible to infections.
- According to experts, daily showering is not necessary for most people.
Hygiene over the centuries
Bathing and showering have become an integral part of daily routines in Western society, but the history of bathing has undergone significant changes. At the very beginning, baths had more of a social and ritual context — the best‑preserved records come mainly from ancient Rome, where the various social classes met in public baths for baths.
During the late Middle Ages and early modern period, attitudes toward bathing shifted in Europe. Immersion in water was often considered risky, partly due to the frequent outbreaks of plague, which were associated with urban centres and public baths. At the time, people probably believed that diseases could enter the body through the pores of the skin via water, and hygiene was kept to a minimum until the early 20th century.
Today, in developed countries, a private bathroom with a shower or bath is a common feature of every household. But what is the optimal frequency of showering/bathing, according to experts?
Risks of poor hygiene
Your skin is exposed daily to external influences, such as sweat, sebum, and dust. Additionally, the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin) renews itself rapidly, a process that takes approximately 26–28 days. Another critical factor is the natural skin microbiome. While you may be familiar with the gut microbiome, your skin also hosts millions of organisms living on your skin that need to function in a certain balance to ensure optimal skin health and barrier function.
Inadequate hygiene can lead to clogged skin pores, a disturbance in the natural balance of the skin's bacterial population or an excessive accumulation of dead skin cells, which are, to some extent, a natural and important part of the skin barrier. You should also not forget about body odour, which comes mainly from the contact of sweat with the aforementioned skin bacteria.
Risks of excessive hygiene
They say that too much of anything is bad for you, and the situation is no different when it comes to bathing or showering, and this applies to bathing or showering as well. Excessive hygiene poses risks to the natural skin barrier, which consists of dead skin cells, sweat, sebaceous gland secretions, microorganisms, and a fatty film with a slightly acidic pH. This protective layer prevents dryness and ensures the skin's resistance to external influences.
If the skin is bathed/showered too often, the topmost protective layer can be damaged, which can lead to drying and cracking of the skin or disruption of the skin microbiome. This can increase the risk of bacterial infection. Hot water is particularly risky in this case.
So, what level of hygiene is optimal?
You surely know that individual factors play a role in many recommendations. It is no different when it comes to the ideal frequency of showering/bathing, and it will always depend on many influences, such as ambient temperature, physical exertion, etc. In short, it’s not essential for your health to shower every day. According to experts, the optimal frequency is several times a week, with the most commonly cited recommendation being once every 2–3 days. So, if you find yourself on a hike without access to a shower, rest assured that skipping hygiene for a day is unlikely to pose any risk to your health.
That said, there are instances when more frequent hygiene is necessary, such as after excessive sweating caused by hot weather or intense physical activity. Additionally, the method and duration of your shower also play an important role (see below).
How to shower properly
Beyond frequency, which is largely influenced by external factors, the way you shower is equally important. First of all, it is advisable not to 'splash' in the water unnecessarily and to limit showers to 3‑5 minutes, focusing on the areas with the highest concentration of sweat glands, i.e., the armpits, pubic area, etc. Shorter showers also save water consumption.
Choosing the right shower products is another key consideration. Unless prescribed by a doctor for a specific skin condition, avoid antibacterial shower gels and soaps, as these can harm the healthy bacteria that form part of the skin's natural protective barrier. Instead, opt for high‑quality products free from soap and potentially irritating substances enriched with moisturising ingredients. After consulting a doctor or pharmacist, you might also consider special products designed to regenerate the skin barrier. Look for active ingredients such as ceramides, urea, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, sucralfate, or glycerin.
If possible, avoid using hot water, which is the most risky for the skin's protective fatty barrier.
Bottom line
Daily showering or bathing is a common routine in most Western developed societies. However, experts agree that for most people, it is not necessary to shower every day from a health perspective. That said, individual factors such as sweat levels, exposure to polluted environments, and physical activity also play a role.
In addition to frequency, when showering, it is also advisable to pay attention to the temperature of the water, the length of the shower itself and the choice of shower gel — those containing soap and potentially irritating ingredients are risky, as are antibacterial soaps that disrupt the natural microbial colonisation of the skin.
