There is no universal rule for how often you should shower. Ultimately, maintaining good personal hygiene is essential, but it doesn't always require daily showers. The key is to strike a balance that works for your body, lifestyle, and climate.
Yes, it is normal for some people not to shower every day. Showering frequency can vary based on personal preferences, lifestyle, skin type, and cultural norms. Some individuals may shower daily, while others may find that showering every few days is sufficient for their hygiene needs.
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. Someone who spends hours in the hot sun working in the yard or running or biking, will likely need to bathe more often than someone who's cool and indoors.
Whether you lather up in the morning or at night, Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, recommends showering at least once a day. “You want to shower daily because we all come into contact with allergens, and we want to rinse those allergens off,” Dr. Khetarpal said.
The majority of respondents have fewer than 8 showers per week - perhaps one per day is the norm? Anecdotal evidence suggests this is because sport and the gym are very important to this age group. The average Gen Z is taking between 4 and 8 minutes in the shower.
A survey found that 53% of Japanese people soak in the bath every day in winter. A warm, relaxing bath can relieve the feelings of tiredness at the end of the day.
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. The biggest problem that may stem from not showering enough? The stink.
While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often). Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice.
But, if your skin is on the oily side, you should shower more often. "On the opposite end of the spectrum, we advise patients who deal with acne to shower and, in particular, wash their face daily or a couple of times a day. This can help keep breakouts at bay," explains Dr. Sulewski.
As a general rule of thumb, “if you're showering more than one or two times a day most days, you're probably flirting with too much,” says Dr. Deanne Mraz, president and co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Westport, Conn., and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Dr Turegano agrees. “I think that showering three to four times a week is plenty for most people,” she says. “We start to see more issues with dry or irritated skin when showering happens more often than once a day.” She says this is especially true for those with already-dry or eczema-prone skin.
"There really is no difference in regards to skin benefits whether you shower in the morning or the evening," Castilla says. "The difference may be if you are too rushed to apply a moisturizer after your shower in the morning or too tired to do so at night—skipping this step for some can lead to dry, itchy skin.
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.
"Some people need to shower once or twice a day after working up a sweat, while others who aren't as active may only need to shower several times a week," adds Green.
For some people, too-frequent washing can cause damaged hair and a dry, itchy scalp. For others, infrequent washing can make the hair look greasy and lifeless.
But while frequent washing of hands is key for stopping the spread of germs, according to most medics there is no inherent physical health benefit to the daily shower. In fact, it can even be bad for you by drying out your skin and undermining your immune system.
If you're dealing with bacne or body blemishes, make sure your hygiene is spot on. This means showering once or twice daily – especially in hot, humid weather and after your workouts.
You have oily skin: People with oily skin types can benefit from showering once a day or every other day. This can help wash away excess oil that can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
Some medical conditions can cause people to avoid showering regularly. For instance, people with depression or anxiety may struggle with daily activities such as showering due to a lack of motivation or low energy levels. Chronic pain and fatigue can also make it challenging to keep up with personal hygiene practices.
Tweens and teens: Guidelines for bathing
Thankfully, most kids want to bathe daily once they hit puberty. Dermatologists tell parents that once puberty starts, kids should: Shower or take a bath daily. Wash their face twice a day to remove oil and dirt.
If you feel better with a daily showering routine, go for it. If you would rather skip some days, that's OK, but never go more than two or three days without washing your body with soap.
Most dermatologists say that your shower should last between five and 10 minutes to cleanse and hydrate your skin, but no longer than 15 minutes to avoid drying it out.
It likely won't harm your health to skip a day if you don't do anything that gets you dirty. “I believe some doctors think overusing soap can strip your skin or immune system from microorganisms that create protective antibodies. So, they suggest not to wash with soap daily for that reason.”