Daily shower with soap: Is it essential?

Taking a shower is sometimes scary, especially during winter. Many people do not want a daily shower and instead, opt for a weekly or sometimes monthly schedule. In truth, there is no ideal frequency, and whether daily shower provides any added health benefit is still under debate. That, however, does not mean we do not need to wash ourselves at all every day.

According to Dr Derrick Phillips, consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, washing must be a part of our daily routine. This can be a shower in the true sense or just a splash of water and soap.

There are lifestyle factors which influence the decision to have a daily shower. People who exercise regularly may want a proper shower after the workout simply to avoid bad smells. People like us, who live in hot, humid conditions, should have a daily shower.

Soap is a part and parcel of our shower. Nowadays, soap substitutes are available, e.g., body washes. Still, bar soap remains a part of our shower routine. Which one is best? This depends on skin type and personal choice.

One note of caution with bar soap is that if we use it too much, there is a high risk of natural oils being stripped off from the skin. Rachel Nazarian, a New York City-based dermatologist, explained that these bars can disturb the pH balance of our skin. The result is rapid loss of water, leading to dryness and irritation. Rubbing the whole body with soap can trigger skin diseases, like eczema, in at-risk people.

Another problem with excessive soap use is the detrimental effect on our skin bacteria. Naturally, there are a lot of good bacteria on the skin, performing many beneficial functions for our body. Soap can remove these, making skin vulnerable to attack by external pathogens. Therefore, bar soap may not be a good choice to clean the whole body. For the rest of the body, a body wash or a gentle cleanser is sufficient.

Dr Phillips identified emollient soap substitutes as a good alternative as well. These are usually formulated to clean without the risk of irritation and dryness. To further minimise the risk, a moisturiser should be applied to the skin immediately after the shower and at regular intervals during the day.

Does that mean we should not use soap at all? Of course, we should. But it is important where. Dr. Skotnicki suggested three areas: feet, armpits and groin. But why these three areas? It is because the skin in the armpit, groin/genital area and feet are quite sensitive. The risk of infections, especially fungal infections, is high here. Therefore, these areas need to be properly cleansed with a suitable soap.

There is something else we should be aware about. We tend to use scrubbers during the shower. A vigorous scrubbing often gives us the feeling of a squeaky-clean body. This is harmful, as suggested by Mona Gohara, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. This could cause trauma to the skin and break the epidermal barrier, causing dryness and hampering the body's defence mechanism. So, it may be better to avoid scrubbing and use just the hands to apply soap or body wash to the body. So, we should use soap for the armpit, feet and groin/genital area and body wash/cleanser for the rest.

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