To shower everyday or no?
That is the question many are grappling with after some celebs claimed they didn’t shower
Recently, rapper Cardi B got on her Twitter page to express her displeasure about celebrities endorsing no-shower days. “Wassup [sic] with people saying they don’t shower? It’s giving itchy [sic],” Cardi stated alongside a confused emoji.
Her tweet was in response to a debate that began last month on whether one should take a shower every day. The whole topic had rolled when actors Ashton Kutcher and Jake Gyllenhaal revealed they didn’t shower often. Then, Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis revealed that they didn’t bathe their children every day.
On Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, Ashton revealed his bath schedule. He said that he washed his armpits and crotch daily, and nothing else ever.
And if that’s got the Ms/Mr Hygienic in you cringing, there’s more. Adding to the conversation, Mila said, “When I had children, I didn’t wash them every day. I wasn’t that parent that bathed my newborns ever.”
Actor Dax Shepard and wife Kristen Bell also admitted that they subscribed to the “waiting for the stink”
method with their daughters.
BATHING ESSENTIALS
And just when it started seeming like the world was a big happy home of dirty, unbathed celebrities, actor Dwayne Johnson stepped in, supporting Cardi B’s views. Sharing his own shower preferences on his Twitter page, Dwayne wrote, “Nope, I’m the opposite of a ‘not washing themselves’ celeb. Shower (cold) when I roll outta bed to get my day rollin’. Shower (warm) after my workout [sic] before work. Shower (hot) after I get home from work. Face wash, body wash, exfoliate and I sing (off key) in the shower.”
While the debate continues to entertain fans, it has also left many confused as to who to follow and how often to take a shower and whether to use a soap etc. we spoke to experts in the city to understand this dilemma better.
Dr Keerthana Kalva MD Dermatology, and chief aesthetic dermatologist at InForm Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Aesthetics, Hyderabad, provides clarity on few of the many questions that fans have after the celebrity debate. She says, “How often one must shower depends on where they stay. People living in colder region can take shower once in two days or even once in three days. However, during summers and monsoons, one can shower upto twice a day. However, the usage of soap on the body must be limited to only once a day.”
THE BODY KNOWS
In fact, Dr Keerthana advises
one to just listen to one’s body. “There is no standard rule for how often one should take a shower. It entirely depends on the individual’s body and the climate that they live in,” she adds. “People who sweat a lot are advised to shower more often than those that don’t. Similarly, people with dry skin must not use very harsh soaps on their body and must shower less frequently as showering twice a day or even once, at times, could rip off all the natural oils from their skin, thus making the skin prone to infections.”
According to Dr Keerthana even taking bath with extremely hot water is always a big no–no, as it rips away the body’s natural oils. “Extremely cold water showers, must be avoided too. Luke warm water is the preferred temperature for taking a bath,” clarifies the doctor. “After the bath, it’s also good to moisturize the skin. People with dry skin must go with a cream-based moisturizer while
those with oily skin can avoid using moisturizer as long as their skin feels good. People with normal skin type must use a lotion in place of cream moisturizer.”
However, the dermatologist also clarifies about the use of facewash. “Contrary to the popular trend of not using soap or face wash on face using facewash on the face is a must,” she adds. “People with extremely dry skin are advised to use micellar water on the face. It thoroughly cleanses the skin of all the dirt and pollution while retaining the essential natural oils on the skin.”
“There is no standard rule for how often one should take a shower. It entirely depends on the individual’s body and the climate that they live in. People who sweat a lot or tend to have a lot of body odor are advised to shower more often that those that don’t have those issues. Similarly, people with dry skin must not use very harsh soaps on their body.”
—Dr Keerthana Kalva,
chief aesthetic dermatologist at InForm Cosmetic Surgery and Medical