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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think showering often isn't good for you

133 replies

livingintheNL · 26/01/2016 10:51

I very rarely have a shower at home (helps with the cleaning and water bill too), I go the the gym / pool most days so will just have a quick dry scrub and flannel wash in the morning and a shower after workout.

Just having this conversation with a friend and she usually showers 2-3 times a day. In the morning, after workout and before bed.

I thought this sounds a bit excessive tbh.

I dont think its great for your skin to shower too much, but I do have very sensitive skin and rarely wash my face or get it wet.

OP posts:
WonderingAspie · 26/01/2016 10:56

Unless she smells particularly bad, 3 times a day is excessive. I don't shower every day but I don't (or can't actually) exercise so don't get sweaty.

DS has eczema and we were advised when he was a baby not to wash him too much as it would make his skin worse. He has a shower after swimming once a week, and twice a week at home. Too much washing is bad for dry skin. The type of water can be as well. We live in a soft water area but when we go away, DH always complains the water from the showers make his skin dry and itchy.

ppeatfruit · 26/01/2016 10:57

No You are NBU, dh showers every day in our hard water area and his skin and hair is dry. He doesn't moisturise it's true but how do these excessive showerers have time to moisturise every time?

CrystalMcPistol · 26/01/2016 11:01

Who can be arsed with three showers a day.

NewLife4Me · 26/01/2016 11:02

I don't shower everyday because I don't need to, however my dh has to shower 3 times a day for medical reasons,
He's always very clean though.

Leelu6 · 26/01/2016 11:02

YANBU. I shower every other day (with washes in between). I already use E45 after every shower. Daily showering exacerbates dry skin.

However, when I'm on holiday in a hot climate, I can shower twice a day and my skin is absolutely fine.

MeadowHay · 26/01/2016 11:06

I usually shower every other day with baby-wiping/washing face/dry shampooing on the day in between, but in summer if it's hot or if I'm on holiday in a hot country I will shower every day although hair still only every other day. 3 showers in a day is insane. I've occasionally had two showers in a day if I've washed in the morning and then later gone to the gym or gone swimming, but it does dry out your hair and skin and I have eczema so have to be really careful, but 3 showers every single day?! YANBU, so excessive and I would imagine damaging for skin.

Niceteeth · 26/01/2016 11:08

I shower every day and have no skin problems. Anything less and I wouldn't feel clean. To be honest I don't know anyone who showers less than that. But
3 times a day is excessive.

Katenka · 26/01/2016 11:09

I shower everyday.

3 times a day is excessive. I seen times shower twice. Usually on a morning. And a quick wash after training at night.

Unless you have a skin condition you should be showering after gym. Sweat gets everywhere and isn't good to sit on the skin.

A quick shower would be quicker, uni than rubbing my entire body down with a flannel in the sink.

My shower after the gym tends to be a couple of minutes.

CwtchMeQuick · 26/01/2016 11:09

3 showers a day does seem excessive but I regularly shower twice.
I always shower in the morning before work to wake me up, and then shower again after a run in the evening.
I don't wash my hair every time I shower, i only do it 3 times a week. Most of my showers are just to freshen up.

CakeNinja · 26/01/2016 11:10

Well I shower every day, often twice as I go to the gym most days.
I need a shower to wake me up first thing, do a quick shave and a scrub of Pits and bits.
I don't get all the flannel washing but each to their own.
I'd probably smell after a day without a shower because I exercise a lot. If you don't, then you probably don't need to.
Dp sometimes has 3 a day. One on waking, one after work (plumber, he doesn't usually but maybe once a week will need this one), and after the gym/sauna.
His skin is very soft despite living in a hard water area and never even looking at a moisturiser!
There isn't a right or wrong answer here, surely just wash when you need to?

moopymoodle · 26/01/2016 11:13

I have a bath or shower everyday and a wash before bed. I only wash mu hair twice a week though, my hair is lovely and shiney but my skin could do with moisterising daily, however I'm a bit lazy.

I couldn't go without my shower or bath daily. Sometimes If my skin is dry I will put baby oil or olive oil in the bath and that works wonders.

MackerelOfFact · 26/01/2016 11:18

Three showers a day is excessive, but I often have two showers, or a shower plus bath every day. The main reason is that I enjoy it and find it cathartic.

Birdsgottafly · 26/01/2016 11:22

Humans are very waterproof and unless you have a skin condition, then for the sake of others, you should be showering/bathing every day. I did personal care for people, we washed their 'bits', but their skin, legs/arms wasn't 'fresh'. So whilst only someone getting intimate would smell you, you aren't 'clean' all over.

That might not be important to you.

I bath of a morning, if I did a rigorous workout/was in hot weather, I'd bath again, to go out in the evening. If I was going to be having sex that night, I'd jump in a quick bath, it's quicker than washing. So three times a day.

I use a spray on body moisturiser, but if your skin is being dried out, then that could be down to whatever your washing with.

As for trusting your partner etc to give an opinion, we pick people who attract us and that includes body sent, families can have the same smell, so you get used to, or like it, others may not.

PollyPerky · 26/01/2016 11:22

Why are you judging people on their personal hygiene OP?
What an odd thing to ask!

Surely it all depends.

I have a shower in the morning and a lovely relaxing bath every night. If I exercise during the day then go to work later in the day (ie an evening 'shift') then I'd never go to meet clients sweaty after exercise so I'd nip in the shower.

I might forgo the bath that evening for another quick shower, but in all honesty I like to go to bed clean and face the world clean.

Even if you don't get really sweaty, your 'bits' need to be clean and a shower is the quickest way.

Body lotion after a shower or bath sorts any dry skin.

chanelfreak · 26/01/2016 11:28

I think it also depends on the length of the shower - I would often have 3 showers a day too (in the morning, after gym and before bed) but they are 3-5 mins long max. My DH on the other hand has one shower a day (before bed) and he wallows like a happy hippo for 10-15 mins, so our net showering is more or less the same, even if I have two more showers than he does.

Valentine2 · 26/01/2016 11:30

In hot climates I have showered even three to four times a day. But back home I hardly sweat ever so do it every other day or so. My skin is very dry though and looks it too. So I have to be cautious about washing it too much. YANBU

HermioneJeanGranger · 26/01/2016 11:32

Surely it depends how dirty you get during the day? Someone who drives everywhere and sits at a desk all day won't need to wash as often as someone with a physical job who walks/runs/cycles everywhere.

I walk everywhere and work in a hot kitchen - I'm grubby after work and smell of grease - I NEED to shower after work as a result, but often don't bother on my days off.

DickDewy · 26/01/2016 11:32

A 'dry scrub and flannel wash' sounds a bit archaic to me. Like what our grandparents would have done before they had showers.

I can't imagine I'd feel too fresh after that but, meh, who cares what anyone else does? As long as people aren't offensively smelly.

trulybadlydeeply · 26/01/2016 11:33

If her skin is not actively falling off, it's probably not doing her much harm Grin

LittleCandle · 26/01/2016 11:37

I shower every day and have no skin problems. DD1 has eczema and finds showering every day very hard on her skin, so on non-work days she doesn't shower. I think 3 times is excessive, but each to their own.

WoodHeaven · 26/01/2016 11:38

The issue here is the soap and the effect it has on the skin. I Know people who ended up with bad skin problems from taking too many showers. As soon as they stopped, their skin cleared.

Tbh, two showers a day in the UK IS excessive. You don't normally sweats that much when you are asleep! In summer inSpain, that makes sense.

ppeatfruit · 26/01/2016 11:41

Agree with this who cares what anyone else does? As long as people are not offensively smelly

Apart from in drought conditions of course Grin

bibbitybobbityyhat · 26/01/2016 11:42

I shower every day and slap on a bit of body lotion if my skin feels dry. I will never ever run out of body lotion, the number of gift sets I've been given over the years Grin However, I am lucky as I don't have excema or psoriasis and I know people who suffer with these have to be more careful with water.

3 times a day is obsessive, borderline a bit freakish imo.

ppeatfruit · 26/01/2016 11:45

True Woodheaven I bath with seasalt (we have very hard water ) and lovely essential oils usually once every 3 days. I have a proper wash (bits and pits using a bidet) every day though. I don't go to the gym.

Chattymummyhere · 26/01/2016 11:45

I shower every day sometimes twice but I use a moisturising shower gel. I tried not showering before bed once and couldn't sleep I had to go have a shower.