We get it; maybe you’re busy, maybe you want to save water, or maybe you just only needed to wash your hair. Sometimes it feels best to just get in and out of the shower as quick as possible and avoid running up the bill for the water heater.
Discover our latest podcast
While a short in/out shower may seem more convenient, this daily hygiene trend has many benefits for both the body and mind. Not only do showers leave you clean, but they can also boost skin barrier function and help relieve stress. But, it seems that a quick shower doesn’t give you the full range of benefits, and according to one pharmacist, it might lead to some heavy consequences.
Short showers could lead to infections
Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click, revealed to Express.co.uk:‘Showering for less than five minutes may not be long enough to cleanse your body, and can cause bacterial or fungal infections.’
Basically, your body has a delicate balance of flora both inside and out. When you don’t shower long enough or properly cleanse, you could be disrupting the balance and promoting bacterial overgrowth. This not only can disrupt the skin’s natural barrier and lead to infection, but you may end up with a nasty odour to boot.
How long should you shower for?
Kanani continued to reveal just how long we should shower for: ‘In regards to how long to shower for, around eight to ten minutes is usually enough time to hydrate your skin and cleanse.’
But. be careful not to get too carried away as showering for too long comes with its own disadvantages. Namely that your skin could become stripped of its natural oils, leading to dry, itchy skin and, again - infection.
It may also seem necessary to shower every day to avoid these bacterial overgrowths and odours. However, just like showering too long or not long enough - it’s not that great.
Recently Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis sent fans into a disgusted frenzy after revealing their rather lax showering habits. But, it seems they may be onto something. According to Harvard Health, just like having too-long showers, showering every day can strip the skin of its natural oils.
Of course, if your job leaves you looking and feeling rather crusty at the end of each day, then it’s best to get in the shower.
