Why we should shower and wash our hair less often
Image: Karolina Grabowska at Pexels
Do you see a daily shower as essential to feeling fresh and clean? Or are you more comfortable in your own (unwashed) skin? When I was a child, my family joked about how washing-averse I was. But I didn’t like how dry, tight and itchy my skin felt after washing with soap. Still don’t.
But even though gentler cleansing products are easy to find, and my skin isn’t as sensitive, I could still be called a bit of a ‘soap-dodger’. It really began, like so many things, during the pandemic. With so many normal daily routines disrupted, not leaving the house to go to work, or be with other people, I, like many other people, didn’t take as much care of my personal appearance, wearing clothes for a couple of days on the trot, and stopped being as punctilious about personal hygiene.
Obviously, some areas always need washing more than others: sweaty crevices, or ‘pits and bits’, which can, well, smell. And if I got hot and sweaty from exercise or the heat of the day, or physically dirty, from turning over the compost heap or repainting a wall, I’d head for the shower. But unless you’re a sheep farmer at lambing time and have been up to your armpits in a ewe, how often do your forearms really need to be scrubbed?
Although leaving it a little longer between showers wasn’t something I proudly announced to anyone who came within a two-metre radius, I suspected I wasn’t alone in my hygiene habits. And I was right. During the second lockdown in February 2021 a YouGov survey of over 2,000 adults showed that one in six were showering less often than before the pandemic (although one in 10 were doing it more). And these hygiene habits seem to have stuck. A poll of 5,000 Europeans (including Brits) last year revealed that 68% of Brits had a complete body-wash every day. And dermatologists agree that, for skin health, we should shower just two to three times a week.
Save your skin
A Harvard Health blog by Dr Robert H Shmerling says ‘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.’ He explains that this can cause skin to become dry or itchy, and that dry, cracked skin can let in bacteria and other undesirables and cause infections or allergic reactions. The skin’s good bacteria can also be killed by antibacterial soaps and shower gels, which can disrupt the balance of the skin’s microbiome.
And, on the ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’ logic, he says that ‘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”.’
And if you can’t imagine ever swerving the shower, consider how hair-washing habits have changed. When I started washing my own hair, shampoo bottles routinely stated ‘rinse and repeat’, advocating lathering up twice; now it’s usually ‘one and done’. And there’s the ‘no poo’ trend – ‘poo’ means ‘shampoo’ – of using water, conditioner, vinegar or no washing at all, based on not stripping the hair’s protective natural layer of oil.
Save money and the planet
Washing less often means using less water, which can matter if you’re on a meter, and less energy to heat it, saving money and reducing carbon emissions. People have reportedly been having shorter showers due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Being squeaky-clean puts a damper on our love life, too, by covering up our natural pheromone-rich scent. Pheromones are airborne molecules of substances secreted by the skin, which can act as an aphrodisiac. Napoleon Bonaparte famously wrote to his lover Josephine asking her not to wash when he was planning a visit. And I’ll happily admit to finding the smell of my partner after he’s been engaged in physical labour attractive.
So if your skin ever feels dry and irritated after washing, no matter how gentle your soap/shower gel/bath essence, as the warm days turn chillier, why not leave it a little longer between allover ablutions? Your skin may thank you for it.
Adrienne Wyper is a health and lifestyle writer and regular TNMA contributor.
Some refillable/ sustainable beauty products for the occasions when you do wash:
That’s Not My Age is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Discussion (35 Comments)
Amanda Sebestyen says:
Interesting. The lockdown changed my habits too , and so did a very Green friend who came out in public as washing her clothes and herself less often (she doesn’t smell, I can bear witness)! In the lockdown I also started to feel that many of my skincare and beauty routines had become bit irksome. I’ve returned to some of them but not all. This is a topic worth exploring.
Is it possible, too, that as we grow older our skin becomes less sensitive in some ways, possibly more sensitive in others? For most of my life I used expensive skincare because mainstream products gave me allergies, and I could never use tap water or soap on my face. More recently I’ve used cheaper products cautiously on my face with no real ill effects. By contrast, some parts of my body have been reacting even to the mild drying effects of olive oil Marseille soap. I’ve been prescribed this Doublebase emollient wash gel – it’s also available over the counter — and it seems to be helping. too soon to tell, but I though some other readers might be interested.
Karen says:
We do look forward to a morning bath ( my husband and I share the water by the way, so hopefully not too wasteful ) – a time to think and relax and listen to the radio before embarking on the daily maelstrom of life. It is a mental tonic.
Kathryn Maclean says:
A great article endorsing what many of us “oldies” know. I stopped using shower gel years ago when I realised it was designed to run away and get you to use more. I swapped us over to quality solid soap bars and my skin and that of my husband’s have improved, we shower on average 3 times a week and I wash my hair at the same time albeit using a good shampoo and I rarely use conditioner. Having been a child of the sixties, showers were not a thing and we bathed twice a week with good “wash downs” in between and none of us smelt or were dirty. Why not save money and your skin at the same time? Less water and energy too.
Jan says:
It take 5 mins to actually get in the shower to do “pits and bits” . 10 mins max to do this wash your hair and clean your teeth. So yes get in there everyday.
Sue says:
I wholeheartedly agree . It’s not something I tell a lot of people though! As children we were washed top and tail every day and bathed once a week. My skin and hair are dry so three baths a week, one hair wash and bits and pits every day works for me
bev says:
Completely agree. My skin suffers horribly if I shower/bathe every day. Same routine as you keeps me fragrant and comfortable but don’t broadcast it!
In response to “When I started washing my own hair, shampoo bottles routinely stated ‘rinse and repeat’”…
When I started washing my own hair, my Mother (brought up in the 1920s) thought once a week was too frequent – “removes the natural shine and your hair will fall out”. Certainly you can see adverts in old magazines from the 1920s and 30s advocating this viewpoint – your shingled hair needed a natural high gloss finish.gaby M says:
I grew up and live in Australia and during the many droughts there is a huge focus on not wasting water.
The two minute shower was encouraged, people even had timers in their bathrooms! So yes I can do pits and bits and hair in less than 5 minutes – no problem..Ciclochick says:
Oh no, no, no, no, NO. There is no alternative to showering every day (in my case twice some days after a strenuous bike ride) and hair wash every day. Neither my skin nor hair suffer (ask a trichologist). I’m sorry, but non-daily washers smell. They smell. I will never ever be one of the great unwashed.
Claudia says:
I stopped using shampoo on my dry, grey hair after I realized I was stripping it, and then greasing it up again with conditioner–seemed crazy and worth an experiment. To start, I didn’t wash it for about 10 days, using a natural bristle brush and water rinse to distribute oils, then my scalp adjusted and stopped producing as much oil. I only now shampoo with a cut or on the hottest days and rinse/condition once a week. I get lots of complements on my hair and it feels and looks good. Give it a try!
SuD says:
I don’t shampoo my hair often (once a week or every two weeks), but I’m not giving up my daily shower or bath unless I’m very sick. I can’t even imagine not bathing at least once a day in hot humid weather.
Alison Drury says:
For those per and menopausal women losing their hair, advice is showing that washing the hair every day reduces hair loss. Perhaps an article on this topic would be a suitable follow up, although it might contradict this one…
Deb Meinke says:
I started questioning the daily bathing ritual when I had my babies. They hated it, I didn’t have time for bathing myself and them and all the other more important things that needed to be done. Dirty? wash. Not dirty? Don’t bother, because there are no cleanliness police that are going to arrest you. BTW my babies grew into wonderful adults who wash themselves appropriately and don’t smell bad:)
Myself and my husband shower twice a day, always have and always will. Wash my hair about twice a week. Always moisturise after showering.
Linda Boardman Kerr says:
Having lived in France from time to time, I found that many people did NOT shower daily. Yes, smelly parts were washed daily (hence, the bidets. very useful!).
I have dry hair and it’s (at 70) the best it’s ever been. I wash it once a week with conditioner only. Looks great, doesn’t smell at all.
I take a bath two nights a week and a shower once. Of course in the summer, or if I’ve worked up a sweat, I’ll hop in the shower.
Interesting post!Mrs Tonia says:
Interesting range of comments. I usually have a shower every two days unless I’m
rinsing off chlorine after swimming. Hair washing is every five to seven days with generally one wash followed by conditioner. This stops hair getting too dry and seems the right balance. If hot sweaty weather it might be more frequent. I use mild shower gels for sensitive skin so not too drying plus Simple soap non-perfumed for pits and bits. This regime seems to work well.Luci Gosling says:
Think a return of bidets to UK bathrooms would help save water! They always used to be a bit of a sniggering point in the 1980s when they were at their (modest) zenith, but they have their uses. I definitely feel nicer if I’ve had a shower or bath once a day, but largely agree that it often isn’t necessary, and having what we used to call ‘a strippy-down wash’ as kids, is as good as. If I’m working from home, or not going out anywhere, I tend to have a quick wash. Unfortunately, my fine hair doesn’t look great if I leave it more than one day without washing. I am always envious of those who can leave their hair for days and days and it just looks the same!
Penny Smith says:
I agree 100% with the idea of bidets BUT, big BUTT, in my case!! . We put a bidet into our first house about 1977. We had two bidets in our next home which we’d put in when renovating our bathrooms. They were a Godsend at times, bathing tiny babies for a start, none of that filling up a plastic baby bath then having to try to empty it (I’m talking 1980’s here, none of the gadgets and gizmo’s mums have these days!) then when the muck magnets got bigger I stood them in it if it was just a dirty knees and feet thing. The kids used to wash their hands in it before they could reach the basin, in short, very useful.
Consequently when we bought a run-down farm and part of the work needed was replacement bathrooms we again installed two bidets. However, shock, horror when the first person tried to use one!! Our builder and plumber hadn’t thought to inform us that between buying the first bidets and the last ones our regulations had changed and we had to adopt the European regulations which basically meant that the bidet would wash anything round it plus the floor but went nowhere near the vicinity in which it was required!! The pity of it is that I’m now disabled and a working one would be good, you can buy bidet attachments that fit on your toilet but they only use cold water!! reminds me of that little ditty that appeared on school toilet doors ‘if you want a cool surprise pull the chain but do not rise!!!’ The only time I found my current one any help was when I’d been on a 25 mile hike or some-such, I found that I could put the lid down on the loo, sit on it sideways with my back against our built-in cupboard, feet in the bidet and let warm water massage my feet!!
carole b says:
Very similar to Linda, at 65 here in the UK. Hair about once a week (I much prefer how my longish hair looks, and what I can do with it from about 3 days after washing). Shower a couple of times a week, and bath once, or vice versa. Washing of groin, underarms and under breasts every day. Simples! Yes – very interesting post!
Cindy from Canada says:
Interesting blog. I find grooming (taking a bath/shower and shampooing hair) is a personal thing. It’s whatever routine works for you.
Hattie says:
Yes I’ve known about this for ages. The skin is our biggest organ and the bacteria and oils it produces are good for your biome. I get limp hair and dry skin if I wash all over every day. I have a relaxing bath which I love to float in, when I want, maybe 2 or 3 times a week and use a clean flannel in the basin on the other days. I definitely don’t smell! In hot weather and the tropics it’s different and you need a cool shower to rinse off sweat and cool down, that’s blissful.
Kirstie Masson says:
Mmm with menopause and associated symptoms , im not stopping a daily morning shower – it isnt long , but it sis essential! P
Alex says:
I am European. I have lived in London for donkey’s years and love it. But I still baulk whenever I get on public transport and my nose is assailed by the stench of so many unwashed people. It’s a peculiarly British habit, that of not washing! You may think no one noticed you have not showered because you cannot smell yourself but believe me others always do. Showering does not have to involve wasting a lot of water and please let’s not use the planet as an excuse for being dirty! What next? Changing your bedsheets only once a year because you are trying to do your bit for the planet?
Sarah says:
I have to say that on my frequent travels, I have experienced people of all nationalities sometimes smell. I would not say Brits are any better – or worse than other ‘Europeans’
It has to be a personal choice, just so long as you do no harm
Pippa says:
Gosh, what a divisive topic! I’ve lived in a tropical country where people shower 3, 4 even 5 times a day and personal odour is very much frowned upon. I could understand it, but did wonder how really necessary it was. I’m often surprised, though, that we don’t baulk at some of the overpowering perfumes and cleaning products, but we do at natural human odours. We certainly all have differing acuity of our sense of smell, and just as musical taste varies and is personal, perhaps olfactory taste does too!
Eve McBride says:
An interesting discussion! I do shower daily and wash my hair on alternate days. I prefer tepid water, less drying for the skin. However, I use as little water as possible. Wet body. Turn off shower. Lather up or shampoo, rinse. I estimate I use only a third of the water I used before adopting this routine.
Susanna says:
This is clearly very personal, though we have noticed, after 40+ years as Brits living in the US, that Americans are much more paranoid about showering daily (or even more often) than we are. I generally take a short shower every other day and wash my hair every second shower, and it works fine for me now I’m well past menopause. I seem to sweat less in general, and my dry skin benefits from less water and soap. Having grown up in the 60’s with no bathroom till I was nine years old (wow, that dates me, no hot water either!) I am well practiced in the art of the “brief wash of essential bits” on days when I’m really rushed.
Juliet Gover says:
Since diagnosis of a neurological disease and understanding of the continual weakness associated with this condition, I have started showering second daily due to this exhaustion. Hair washing is another dreaded chore as it entails holding my arms up for extended periods. It’s now a matter of accepting the situation and monitoring my social life accordingly. There must be numerous folk who are experiencing similar limitations.
Vita Bella says:
If I don’t shower daily, not only do I feel less energised, I need to wash my clothes more often which shortens their lives and uses more water. I shower daily, soaping only the needy bits using minimum water and wash hair with baby shampoo on alternate days. I have a 4min egg-type timer, a free gift from the water board, that is stuck on my shower wall. I am of the Japanese persuasion that baths are for relaxing in and showers are for washing off the grime. The Japanese always shower before bathing.
I must agree that I regularly encounter the smell of the great unwashed. I’m not talking only about sweat but a general grimy odour of stale body and hair oils which is particularly unpleasant when shopping for food.de Vaugiraud says:
Also of the Japanese persuasion, I cannot fathom how people can relax in grimy water. Regarding showers, I was taught by a submariner : 3 minutes, 1 minute wet skin, stop the water & wash, 2 minutes rinse. I shower every other day unless particularly hot or dirty. I only use washing oil so less dry skin (hard water) followed by moisturizer. Hair is washed once a month and takes 4 to 5 days to regain volume. Hairbrush is washed everyday. The most remarkable change to skin/hair quality : soft water vs hard water, alas only hard water in my area.
MaureenC says:
I would happily wash my hair less often but two things mitigate against that. I swim three or four times a week and washing the pool or the sea off both hair and body is a necessity. The second reason is that my hair is relatively short and often bits stick up randomly after I’ve slept on it and only a wash will get it under control. I’ve tried using products to get round this but it just looks a bit crap. Suggestions welcome but I suspect many of the people who leave long gaps between hair washes have long locks.
Patricia Coyle says:
I simply love getting into the shower each morning. Warm water on my head (short hair) and a great shampoo daily is the norm. Gives me a ‘fresh’ canvas to decorate or not!
Rhonda says:
loved this article as during Covid I revised everything. I have a quick “you know where” soap and flannel every day and wash my hair twice a week with less than instructed quantity of shampoo and conditioner but use cooking oils to make my hair less dry looking (sparingly of course) and use same oils regularly on my body and use it to remove makeup. sometimes I shower but make that decision when I need to. i have pretty good skin for my age and have not washed my face with more than almond or coconut oil and a warm water flannel for years – and that works. all the stuff we are told to do is really ridiculous. I remember when sprays for that area came onto the market years ago and women thought they needed it. Ad agencies have a lot to answer for.
Lee Ann says:
Very interesting and varied opinions. Adding my own … my morning shower is my “wake up!” I find that a shower prepares me for the day ahead, ready for whatever happens. If I don’t shower first thing in the morning, I don’t feel that I can handle the outside world with a big smile!
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Generally, no one needs antibacterial products for their skin or processed into chopping boards, clothing etc. It can be harmful to expose everyone to antimicrobial products daily. As a microbiologist I understand the microcosm of the skin and agree that we do not have to remove the organisms, oils etc every day. I have a niece who has not washed her hair for three months now and she is happy. I know that I would not be! I do not feel comfortable if I do not wash my hair, bath or shower daily. I work in a medical environment and so return home with skin and hair smelling of chemicals and hospitals! I also find a bath in the evenings soothing and pretty much my only treat, so I will continue. I only ever use one application of any hair product though and much less than the dispensers give out! I do not use conditioners but a small application of a suitable oil product that is very economical, a bottle lasts years. Advice from experts is always welcome but in the end you have to do what you feel is right for yourself and your environment. I am generally careful not to use and waste water.