To not want a shower everyday?

[Ointb]

I find they dry my skin out if I shower every day, even if I use lukewarm water and emollient creams - I have kept them short, and tried everything I can think of short of seeing a dermatologist. My skin itches like crazy after most showers.

I do feel a lot fresher of course but is it really unhygienic to switch to every other day? (And for my partner is it gross?!)

If you aren't very active you will very likely be fine to shower every other day unless you get hot and sweaty

I don't shower every day. Not necessarily even every other day cause it will depend on my work out schedule. I have a skin condition so will avoid water when possible and I wfh.

I think it's totally fine. But then again I'm disgusting by mn standards cause I use my bath towel more than once. Don't wash bra after every use and do th change sheets every week 😅

I have same problem, I have used infacare baby bath for years as a shower gel. Also have a separate body puff which I squirt baby oil on liberally then quickly run it under shower. Turn shower off & use all over body. Wrap yourself in a towel & you quickly air dry. Only dry your armpits, bits and under boobs with towel, leave everything else. It really works & am often complimented on how soft my skin is. The drier it is the more prone to eczema you are, I find this far better than using any emollients and have massively reduced my outbreaks and use of steroid creams

It's bad for your skin to shower every day.

If you have a skin condition that’s being aggravated by a daily shower, then of course you’re not BU to adapt to suit your personal needs. Do what you need to do.

I am very by the whole concept of a ‘strip wash’.

They often come up on Mumsnet - I had never heard of it before coming on here.

Standing naked in the cool bathroom air and faffing about with a face cloth, wetting it under a tap, wringing it out and rubbing it over your body, wetting, wringing, rubbing, repeat ... sounds so deeply unappealing.

As opposed to simply turning on the hot water and standing under it, easily able to get wet, washed and clean with soap or gel, which easily washes off.

I get it if, as in your case, you have a skin condition which necessitates it. Or if you’re elderly or literally immobile, and must be seated.

But if you’re able bodied? It just seems like such a cold, slow, ineffective, very unappealing alternative.

Agree! Hence my hop in, quick wash, hop out shower days. I don't want to stand in the bathroom wringing out a flannel over the sink.

According the Guardian,/Telegraph ( I forget which) today, we shouldn't be showering every day as the microbes, that help our health get washed away before they can do their good.
Apparently, lockdown has meant that we're showering/bathing less which is increasing our healthy skin bacteria and is making us healthier!

This thread reminds me of a very similar one about a year ago where posters ripped other posters to shreds for not showering every single day.

Now it seems everyone is chilled about showering every other day and saying it’s better for your skin. Rightly so. I got torn to pieces last year for daring to suggest it was better for skin lol.

I have just come back from a caravan holiday, site showers were closed because of covid rules so I used a sink which was in a cubicle and had a daily strip wash, hair wash every other day and just one shower in the caravan in the 9 days I was there, there is no way I would have gone to the bother of trying to have a daily shower in the caravan, it just felt that I was going back to a past age where you had a daily strip wash and bath on Sunday.

I was born in 1969. It was perfectly normal to have weekly bath - we were taught to strip wash thoroughly before bed, then quick morning wash. We were clean. Running out of hot water was main reason I think. I now shower twice a day but most certainly would not if my skin suffered as a result. Do what is best for you.

Having a strip wash and doing a good wash of your fanny will guarantee that it doesn't smell far more effectively than having a shower

@MereDintofPandiculation

Only if you don't wash when you're in the shower! Else running water trumps a face cloth anytime!

I do have at least a quick shower every day, I don't even have a live in partner so I don't have to but it makes me feel better.
I suffer with dry skin too if I don't use the correct products but then I'd still have dry skin if I didn't wash, it's my skin type.

My husband and I take it in turns, so we each shower every other day, while the other gets the kids dressed. Worth it for the extra 20 minutes in bed . In the summer I do sometimes have an extra shower in the evening.

@Looubylou

I was born in 1969. It was perfectly normal to have weekly bath - we were taught to strip wash thoroughly before bed, then quick morning wash. We were clean. Running out of hot water was main reason I think. I now shower twice a day but most certainly would not if my skin suffered as a result. Do what is best for you.

I was born in 1969 and that was not common in my house/extended family/friends. We all had baths daily.

I have very dry skin and get a daily shower using with Dermol lotion or Sanex Atopic shower gel. Literally takes minutes, when finished I use oil over my skin then pat dry. Then use Diprobase cream all over. When my skin is very itchy I take a Piriton tab which helps a bit.

I'd hate not to get at least one daily shower, especially in the summer.

I shower every 2-3 days. I don’t smell. I have v dry skin and I rarely sweat. I also don’t work out so no extra sweating from that. I wash my hair once a week. My hair and skin are like the Sahara! I put oil in my hair every day and it just disappears.

People can’t answer this question as it depends on their skin type whether it’s gross or not.For me it’s not. It doesn’t sound like it would be for you either.

@User33445

I couldn’t do it I’d hate to have a smelly fanny.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@apooagnuandyou

Having a strip wash and doing a good wash of your fanny will guarantee that it doesn't smell far more effectively than having a shower.

Good grief...

When you think the government had to tell people to wash their hands and HOW to wash them, you despair sometimes.

Just don't wash your face with the flannel after your fanny🤢

I had two flannels in the caravan, a face flannel and a body flannel, after use they hung on the airer in the awning so they didn't get musty, DH only appeared to use one flannel, which he left in a wet lump in the shower cubicle, though I did put in two for him.

I have eczema and I slather myself in Dermol before I get in the shower, so I’m just rinsing the dermol off when I’m in the shower.

@Looubylou

I was born in 1969. It was perfectly normal to have weekly bath - we were taught to strip wash thoroughly before bed, then quick morning wash. We were clean. Running out of hot water was main reason I think. I now shower twice a day but most certainly would not if my skin suffered as a result. Do what is best for you.

I was born only a little later and I didn’t know anyone who bathed or showered once a week, although am sure it was more common than it is now.

I hate strip washes, although I find that a shame because I love the term whore’s bath

I was born in 1964 and our family norm for years was a weekly bath. Between the ages of 3 and 5 I even had to share it with my brother!

I think from about the age of 8 onwards I started having more baths. My parents hated it - kept telling me that I was using all the hot water up. Then probably when I was about 9 we got a really rudimentary shower and all of us used this at least 4 times a week.

The odd thing is that I genuinely can't remember anybody smelling.

I now shower 6 times a week.

I usually shower every other day, and do pits and bits with a flannel on the others. If it’s really warm and humid or if I’ve been particularly active then obviously I’ll shower but on a cool day spent working from home? I just don’t get that dirty.

If you’re not going to work why bother with a daily shower? I prefer my DH’s natural scent and he complains if I always smell of soap and deodorant!

On days I’m staying at home I just wash my face, feet and between my legs. Maybe have a wipe down with wet wipes and apply anti perspiration and a touch of perfume.

I think skin gets dry and over produces oil if washed too much!

I do like a shower every day. Even if I'm not going out. I'd feel really gross if I didn't. I wash my hair every day too.