Anybody hate showering when on their period?

[Pormbk]

Honestly I despise it. Mostly just because it feels overstimulating.

I have very painful periods so tend to be a hermit whilst on them. Tbh as I wfh I tend not to shower for 3/4 days if I can. If I go out or have people over obviously I will shower. I still change clothes, underwear etc.

I know it’s not the most hygienic thing but weirdly most of the time people would describe me as Monica due to my obsession with cleanliness. Just goes out the window when on my period. Not sure why

Am I the only one like this?

You should do what feels best for you and your body provided it doesn't impact badly on anyone else, and this certainly doesn't. I haven't heard of anyone else saying that they don't want to shower on a period, so can't help there. You might feel better understanding your own reasons, perhaps by imagining yourself in the shower and noticing what it feels like or what you're afraid of.

Is using a tampon or moon cup during an option?

I have a shower and bath no problem during mine. I couldn’t cope with skipping a shower. I would feel itchy and like my skin was crawling.

I’m long past this, but no, it never bothered me. In fact. I showered or bathed more then.

I had terrible heavy periods until a year ago when I had an ablation and yes, showering was fiddly particularly the end where I would inevitably leak in the gap between leaving the shower and getting my tampon out of the packet.

periods made everything miserable and bleak, it’s been so liberating not to be a prisoner to my two week cycle.

Genuine question as I've never heard this before. What health issues do you get from showering daily?

And how modern is the daily shower?
I'm 43 and have never known anyone get ill from bathing and in all the time I've had awareness, we've showered twice daily, so doesn't seem that recent a phenomenon...

I bleed heavily, so must have showers to feel clean. I also get severe cramps, so find a piping hot shower or bath bring much relief.

No, I feel the exact opposite. I tend to shower more often and for longer during my period, otherwise I don't feel clean.

i'm with you, and i don't make my DD do it either, both of us hate it. I'd rather make do with using some Fresh Wipes (they're wipes designed for people who struggle to shower) on my pits/bits for a couple of days.

Glad to be on the pill now so i don't have to deal with it.

Human beings across the entire planet wash every day...

What "health issues" are caused by washing every day?

It strips the natural oils from your skin and can cause skin conditions.

Never heard of this other than unhygienic people who can't be arsed.

Ah yes of course the totally sane come back of 'I have no skin issues so therefore they must not exist... unless of course you caused them yourself by laziness'.

Same as survivors bias... its the cry of the ignorant.

Is it really that hard to be empathetic to the fact other people have issues?

Some people are really fucking nasty. You do you, OP. If you're not seeing anyone during this time, I fail to see the issue.

I strongly suspect I'm autistic abd find showers really hard on a sensory level - almost painful. Very distressing. I force myself to have them, when I don't have time to bathe, but they're to be endured rather than enjoyed, so I completely get you.

No I've never found this a problem at all tbh. Mine last 6-8 days, so there's certainly no way I'd avoid showering for that long!

Humans have been around 300,000 years and even just in the last century daily showering wasn't common. Its a very modern phenomenon.

Showering effects moisture and oils and can cause havoc with skin conditions from a physical stand point.

Many people also have mental and sensory issues with water.

How Often Should You Shower? (webmd.com)

Showering daily -- is it necessary? - Harvard Health

day?
Normal, healthy skin maintains a layer of oil and a balance of "good" bacteria and other microorganisms. Washing and scrubbing removes these, especially if the water is hot. As a result:

• Skin may become dry, irritated, or itchy.
• Dry, cracked skin may allow bacteria and allergens to breach the barrier skin is supposed to provide, allowing skin infections and allergic reactions to occur.
• Antibacterial soaps can actually kill off normal bacteria. This upsets the balance of microorganisms on the skin and encourages the emergence of hardier, less friendly organisms that are more resistant to antibiotics.
• Our immune systems need a certain amount of stimulation by normal microorganisms, dirt, and other environmental exposures in order to create protective antibodies and "immune memory." This is one reason why some pediatricians and dermatologists recommend against daily baths for kids. Frequent baths or showers throughout a lifetime may reduce the ability of the immune system to do its job.

And there could be other reasons to lose your enthusiasm for the daily shower: the water with which we clean ourselves may contain salts, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and other chemicals. It's possible these may cause problems, too.

The undercarriage needs a thorough daily wash that surely can only be done in the shower?! Or a nice bath?

Do you not go out at all even for a walk?

You should shower more on your period, not less. Or if not shower, then at least a bidet or wipe of the downstairs area. Surely it must absolutely stink and be encrusted with dried blood after 3/4 days? 🤢

Thank you for explaining.

When I saw health issues my mind started wondering about things other than drying out the skin and such; and MN is a place where i learn new things all the time, so wondered what I was missing 👍🏾.

I know exactly what you mean. I can't stand the feeling of the shower spray on my body. I just wash my bottom half with the shower, very quickly, when I'm on. Then I do my armpits with a flannel at the sink. I couldn't not wash though.

If you don’t shower every day, preferably twice, you are a filthy human being. Only on Mumsnet though.

All of this :)

Whatever gets you through, OP. I'm just out of a scorching hot bath. The pain only subsides when I'm in a bath so hot it makes my skin red.

It’s another showering one. I must admit I didn’t think it was possible to shower during the heavy part of a period unless wearing whatever kind of tampon one wears for swimming. But it’s over 10 years since I last had a period.

Never had this problem. If anything I enjoy showering more during my period, as I want to feel clean.