Science Daily showers are purely ‘performative’ and have no real health benefit, experts insist

[Dead2009]

Daily showers are purely ‘performative’ and have no real health benefit, experts insist

Call it perfume-ative hygiene.

nypost.com

Call it perfume-ative hygiene.

Experts say the daily shower has no proven health benefit, dismissing the dousing as a socially accepted practice geared toward staving off accusations of funkiness — as A-listers like Jake Gyllenhaal and Mila Kunis admit they've been saying no to the nozzle.

"Why are we washing? Mostly because we're afraid somebody else will tell us that we're smelling," environmentalist Donnachadh McCarthy told the BBC.

The "Prostitute State" author only hoses off once per month to help the environment — a lifestyle choice inspired by spending two weeks in the Amazon with the indigenous Yanomami people, he said.

Every other morning, McCarthy told a reporter, he opts instead for a wash at the sink, using a cloth to give his body a good scrub.

And while abstaining from daily showers might seem like antisocial behavior, medical experts are inclined to lean toward agreeing with earthy types like McCarthy, saying that the modern obsession with cleanliness can actually be hazardous to one's health.

Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Julie Russak previously told The Post that prolonged and daily showers could strip away the "skin's microbiome," which plays a role in protecting the skin and is "also extremely important in overall health of the body."

Chemist David Whitlock was so adamant about preserving this dermal barrier that the bathing abstainer didn't shower for 12 years, instead opting to spray himself with good bacteria that he claims neutralizes the body's smell-making chemicals.

When asked about addressing critics, he told Vice: "Tell anyone who mocks you that they are betraying profound ignorance of the skin microbiome, and then walk away."

 

[Quagmire]

Two things

1. The NY Post is garbage

2. Did anyone think they had health benefits? I would say there can be some some mental health benefits, I know I feel better if Im in a funk after a hot shower.

 

[Mark]

Two things

1. The NY Post is garbage

2. Did anyone think they had health benefits? I would say there can be some some mental health benefits, I know I feel better if Im in a funk after a hot shower.

This.

At least it *kinda* explains the smell in NYC if a good chunk of New Yorkers subscribe to that paper.

 

[dimmerwit]

I switched to shorter showers for this reason, but I do still shower everyday because otherwise I will smell and everyone will hate me.

I feel like it's a good compromise.

 

[Quagmire]

I switched to shorter showers for this reason, but I do still shower everyday because otherwise I will smell and everyone will hate me.

I feel like it's a good compromise.

I do shorter showers to cancel out my wife's longer showers

 

[Mark]

I do shorter showers to cancel out my wife's longer showers

I will never understand the logistics of women’s showering, and I don’t care how sexist that sounds because, hopefully, that’ll cause someone to make it make sense to me. Don’t even try the detachable shower head angle, either, because that’s irrelevant. She can’t even reach it.

It takes me under 10 minutes to get everything done. It takes my other half that long to figure out what she’s wearing afterwards.

 

[TD]

I mean I'll take longer showers and just let the massage head pound on my neck/back cause why not?

 

[Mark]

I mean I'll take longer showers and just let the massage head pound on my neck/back cause why not?

Translation: TD likes it hot and pounding.

 

[TD]

Translation: TD likes it hot and pounding.

And who doesn't?

 

[MC74]

Two things

1. The NY Post is garbage

2. Did anyone think they had health benefits? I would say there can be some some mental health benefits, I know I feel better if Im in a funk after a hot shower.

I can attest. A nice hot shower or a soak in the tub is good for the mind when one is stressed out.

 

[Tommy Boy]

This.

At least it *kinda* explains the smell in NYC if a good chunk of New Yorkers subscribe to that paper.

NY Post is just the meme news for Fox News. Some articles have truthful elements, but most blow everything out of proportion. I prefer to not indulge, and see it as a rag paper.

 

[Mark]

NY Post is just the meme news for Fox News. Some articles have truthful elements, but most blow everything out of proportion. I prefer to not indulge, and see it as a rag paper.

In that case, my condolences for the extra litter on your streets.

 

[shortkut]

Their sports section, at least used to be, legit. The rest is trash

 

[dimmerwit]

I guess you could use that rag instead of taking a shower!

...I'll see myself out.

 

[Jawneh]

From reading a bunch of different opinions on this throughout the years, I'm of the view that daily shower on its own is fine for smell purposes. It may become a health issue if you actually exfoliate and wash yourself. Then all the good bacteria and microorganism might be gone. Same deal for your hair as well.

Is there "benefits"? Doubtful. Just curbing the cons of not doing it.

 

[Kat]

I will never understand the logistics of women’s showering, and I don’t care how sexist that sounds because, hopefully, that’ll cause someone to make it make sense to me. Don’t even try the detachable shower head angle, either, because that’s irrelevant. She can’t even reach it.

It takes me under 10 minutes to get everything done. It takes my other half that long to figure out what she’s wearing afterwards.

I'm a woman incapable of taking a sub-ten-minute shower even when rinsing before getting into the pool, so I'm not offended. My long showers are driven by several things:

• I'm always cold, so hot showers feel nice, and I dread getting out because I'll be even colder then
• My long hair takes forever to wash
• I shave a large portion of my body nearly every time I shower
• I don't wash everything concurrently; I do my hair first, then body (to wash off any residual shampoo or conditioner), then face (I use a different soap and water temp for this step)
• Sometimes I add an exfoliating step, and I always wash my whole body from head to toe (I got a comment once from a guy that only women do that and guys just hit key spots)

My guess is guys are more likely to have a simpler routine with fewer steps and fewer different products, their hair is shorter, they don't shave in the shower or shave less area, and they enjoy the heated water less.

Every other morning, McCarthy told a reporter, he opts instead for a wash at the sink, using a cloth to give his body a good scrub.

What's the point of that? If you're going to wash, just get in the shower.

 

[TD]

What's the point of that? If you're going to wash, just get in the shower.

It honestly just sounds like a hoe bath.

 

[Mark]

I'm a woman incapable of taking a sub-ten-minute shower even when rinsing before getting into the pool, so I'm not offended. My long showers are driven by several things:

• I'm always cold, so hot showers feel nice, and I dread getting out because I'll be even colder then
• My long hair takes forever to wash
• I shave a large portion of my body nearly every time I shower
• I don't wash everything concurrently; I do my hair first, then body (to wash off any residual shampoo or conditioner), then face (I use a different soap and water temp for this step)
• Sometimes I add an exfoliating step, and I always wash my whole body from head to toe (I got a comment once from a guy that only women do that and guys just hit key spots)

My guess is guys are more likely to have a simpler routine with fewer steps and fewer different products, their hair is shorter, they don't shave in the shower or shave less area, and they enjoy the heated water less.


What's the point of that? If you're going to wash, just get in the shower.

Makes sense. I don’t even shampoo because I don’t have enough hair, so the head gets bodywash as well. Shaving is purely something for the neck and hairline, which is a quick job. It takes 8 minutes to shave my head once a week.

It honestly just sounds like a hoe bath.

You’re a hoe bath.

 

[Kat]

I don’t even shampoo because I don’t have enough hair, so the head gets bodywash as well.

I use four different products on my hair when I wash it, one of which is supposed to sit for ten minutes. I hate washing my hair, it's such an ordeal.

I have an acquaintance who is trans masc, and they said the only way they could get their hair to look more like a guy's hair was to get rid of all their expensive hair products and switch to some dirt cheap all-in-one shampoo. I wish I could do that to get my hair to look how I want.

 

[Mark]

I use four different products on my hair when I wash it, one of which is supposed to sit for ten minutes. I hate washing my hair, it's such an ordeal.

I have an acquaintance who is trans masc, and they said the only way they could get their hair to look more like a guy's hair was to get rid of all their expensive hair products and switch to some dirt cheap all-in-one shampoo. I wish I could do that to get my hair to look how I want.

Oh, I had that conversation before when my friend was trying to grow facial hair. Blew their mind when I said to trash that fancy beard kit with all of the shampoos and conditioners and oils and bullshit. Needless to say, they got the results they were looking for when they ditched all the products.

 

[canadaguy]

You better believe my shower is performative

 

[shortkut]

You better believe my shower is performative

Does one need to purchase tickets to see the performance?

 

[Mark]

Does one need to purchase tickets to see the performance?

Wait til you find out what kinda shower he’s talking about…

 

[shortkut]

Wait til you find out what kinda shower he’s talking about…

As long as I’m not in the splash section for seating

 

[Mark]

As long as I’m not in the splash section for seating

What do you think it’s called “performative” for? Even the audience gets involved.

 

[Gloom-is-good]

I think my showers are usually less than 10 minutes.. and it would be shorter but I have a lot of hair on my head to shampoo.

I also don't shower every day.

 

[ColoradoAvalancheFanMatt]

I shower daily for everybody else’s benefit. I got hit hard by the bad genes and a combination bad diet, I come away quite stinky by the end of a day.

I have, however, switched to doing showers at night, sometimes with a tub soak afterwards. Go to bed clean and clean feeling, wake up a little bit later than I used to showering in the morning, only have to do hair or plop on a hat and deodorant, it’s really nice.

 

[Smacktard]

What monster wrote this article? The last thing we need is more people thinking they need to shower less.

 

[Kat]

I shower daily for everybody else’s benefit. I got hit hard by the bad genes and a combination bad diet, I come away quite stinky by the end of a day.

I have, however, switched to doing showers at night, sometimes with a tub soak afterwards. Go to bed clean and clean feeling, wake up a little bit later than I used to showering in the morning, only have to do hair or plop on a hat and deodorant, it’s really nice.

I love showering right before bed when I've washed the sheets that day. It feels great.

 

[MC74]

Had a long-ass night. Had to take my sister's BF into the hospital and just got back a few moments ago. Decided just now, fuck it, I've been up this late, so I might as well have my shower now and save myself the trouble of having one when I get up from my nap.

Plus, playoff hockey is here, so the less time I'm fooling around, the more time I have to myself before game time.

 

[TD]

Shit, I usually shower twice a day.

Once in the morning to help my tired ass wake up and then once after my workout so I don't walk around with nasty stank.

 

[Advocate for Ants! Mouth]

I think my showers are usually less than 10 minutes.. and it would be shorter but I have a lot of hair on my head to shampoo.

I also don't shower every day.

Lol gloom is short.

I love showers. I also run cold though. We use stuff from a bulk store, but I'm at 3 products: shampoo, face wash, body wash.

 

[Mark]

Lol gloom is short.

The one time you got a pass to say that to someone and you snuck right on in for it.

 

[Gloom-is-good]

Lol gloom is short.

Listen sir! I have to renew my driver's license in person this month and I'll ask them to re-measure my height THEN I'll show you that I'm actually REALLY tall!!

 

[Fool's Requiem]

switched to doing showers at night,

I tried going evening showers because it means hopping in the bed clean and thus keeping your bed clean for longer. I can't get to sleep after taking a shower. I run my showers hot and when I get out, my body is an oven. I need to basically remember to shower like an hour before bed if I do that.

Would love to do a soak in the bath, but I have been unable to get the drain plug to work... and the tub is really shallow. I really want a jacuz in my bathroom, but I worry about the cost and the possibility of the tub not fitting through the doorways.

Listen sir! I have to renew my driver's license in person this month and I'll ask them to re-measure my height THEN I'll show you that I'm actually REALLY tall!!

I need to do this too. My license still reads my height from when I was 17. It says 5'11" but I'm almost at 6'1" today.

 

[Kat]

Listen sir! I have to renew my driver's license in person this month and I'll ask them to re-measure my height THEN I'll show you that I'm actually REALLY tall!!

They measure your height there? They just took my word on it. As a result, my height might be a bit... generous on my license.

 

[dimmerwit]

We don't bother to put height on our licences at all. Just the traditional serial killer impressionist photo.

 

[Mark]

They measure your height there? They just took my word on it. As a result, my height might be a bit... generous on my license.

I can’t remember if they actually measure height or not here…

But I did have my license photo taken while stoned so if I ever got stopped… that’s just how I look normally, don’t make fun of me.

 

[ColoradoAvalancheFanMatt]

I tried going evening showers because it means hopping in the bed clean and thus keeping your bed clean for longer. I can't get to sleep after taking a shower. I run my showers hot and when I get out, my body is an oven. I need to basically remember to shower like an hour before bed if I do that.

I had this same issue so I switched to taking a shower when I get home for the last time that night (like if I know I’m going out to dinner I’ll just stay as is), and barring going to a late sports game, it’s worked out pretty well. If I have a late night, I tend to just do a lukewarm shower. I’m racing to bed anyways, so might as well give myself motivation to get out of the shower quicker

 

[Kat]

I tried going evening showers because it means hopping in the bed clean and thus keeping your bed clean for longer. I can't get to sleep after taking a shower. I run my showers hot and when I get out, my body is an oven. I need to basically remember to shower like an hour before bed if I do that.

I have the opposite problem. Hot showers make me sleepy, so I have to be careful not to take them right before I want to do something.

 

[Quagmire]

I use four different products on my hair when I wash it, one of which is supposed to sit for ten minutes. I hate washing my hair, it's such an ordeal.

Sounds like you need something like this

 

[Mark]

Sounds like you need something like this

View attachment 14472

She ain’t ready for that level of efficiency.

 

[Kat]

I do use random soap as shaving cream while traveling, but that's as far as I go to multi purpose my hygiene products.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

what? you don't use gasoline to shave your pits? not very progressive, if you ask me.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

gas is great for hair removal. Just coat all the areas with unwanted hair and light a match. Hair-B-Gone

 

[Mark]

I do use random soap as shaving cream while traveling, but that's as far as I go to multi purpose my hygiene products.

If I don’t use regular ol’ foaming Barbasol, regular body wash does a great job at getting a close shave on my neck.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

If I don’t use regular ol’ foaming Barbasol, regular body wash does a great job at getting a close shave on my neck.

Barbasol is consistently reliable... and cheap. There's almost no reason to get anything else. I just wish there was a way to make the stuff warm so you can have a warm shave. Since I tend to shave in the shower, the closest I've come is by getting some of the cream out into the shave bowl and let it sit while I shower. The bowl I have it metal, so I can't just nuke it before hopping in the shower.

 

[Mark]

Barbasol is consistently reliable... and cheap. There's almost no reason to get anything else. I just wish there was a way to make the stuff warm so you can have a warm shave. Since I tend to shave in the shower, the closest I've come is by getting some of the cream out into the shave bowl and let it sit while I shower. The bowl I have it metal, so I can't just nuke it before hopping in the shower.

Put the can in a cup of really hot water, I used to do that up until I kept the beard year-round. Rubber band will prevent it from floating.

 

[Kat]

what? you don't use gasoline to shave your pits? not very progressive, if you ask me.

All 2-1 stuff may as well have gasoline for how useless it is for multiple purposes.

Barbasol is consistently reliable... and cheap. There's almost no reason to get anything else. I just wish there was a way to make the stuff warm so you can have a warm shave. Since I tend to shave in the shower, the closest I've come is by getting some of the cream out into the shave bowl and let it sit while I shower. The bowl I have it metal, so I can't just nuke it before hopping in the shower.

I typically use this stuff:


It works well and only takes a tiny amount. A bottle lasts me months. It's also easy to warm up in your hands before applying since it's not aerated and a small volume.

 

[Ants!]

No shit. It's never been about health. Who ever thought it was?