Taking daily showers is bad for your health, according to Dr. Casey Carlos, assistant professor of medicine in the division of dermatology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. “It’s not just the water that’s the problem,” states Carlos on Lifehack.com, “it’s the soap that people use.” Dr. Carlos explains that soaps tend to remove the natural oils from the skin, and in turn, leaves the skin very dry. “If a person must use soap, they should only use it on their feet, groin, and armpits,” she said. She then goes on to explain that everyone should avoid putting soap on their legs, back, chest, and arms because those areas have an ability to clean itself. If this sounds a bit unusual, it should. There aren’t many research studies that suggest “self-cleaning” skin, but there are expert opinions on how the skin operates and how it might be better protected if it isn’t dried out.
According to some experts, the top layer of the skin is composed of dead skin cells that protect the skin underneath. That top layer of skin is supported by fats that help to generate the moisture in our skin. When we shower using soaps that are drying, we break the first layer apart and reduce our skin’s ability to heal or remain moist to protect itself. “Less recovery of the skin prevents good bacteria from growing on the skin, which is responsible for protecting the skin from infections,” based on expert medical opinions.
