Is Your Skin too Clean?

So you’ve got your resolutions in check – exercising, eating healthier foods, managing your budget and being on time. But there are mornings when you just want to flush those resolutions down the drain and sleep in for just five – wait – ten more minutes. Well, recent studies about showering may give you a scientific reason to do just that!

Dr. Joshua Zeicher, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and Boston dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch suggest that we shower way too frequently. “We over bathe in this country and that’s really important to realize,” says Hirsch. “A lot of the reason we do it is because of societal norms.” According to Zeichner and Hirsche, frequent hot-water showers can cause dry, irritated skin and wash away good, beneficial bacteria that naturally exists on your skin. Too much exposure to hot water can also cause small cracks in your skin, making you more susceptible to infection.

Factors like exercise and weather may affect when or if you want to shower. But overall, a daily full-body shower isn’t necessarily healthy. If you must, you can take a washcloth to the parts of your body that tend to sweat more or emit body odor. Zeichner suggests cleansing your “face, underarms, under the breasts, genitals and rear end.” That advice can have a dynamic impact on your daily routine. So, go ahead and push that snooze button a couple more times.

If you have any questions about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.