The harm in taking too many showers

There’s no bad day that a hot shower can’t fix. But is there a such thing as showering … too much? Skin experts say yes.

Dermatologist Dr. Joel Spitz, co-founder and chief medical officer at Honeydew, says there is a limit to the benefits of showering when it comes to skin health, and that if you’re showering too much, it becomes obvious through dry and cracked skin.

Here’s what to consider if you love taking more than a daily shower.

Daily showering is fine, though most people don’t even need to shower every single day, Spitz says. Instead, he recommends making sure the "warm, moist folds" of the body do get attention every day – feet, groin, armpits and any other sweaty or dirty skin.

But that cracked and dry skin from showering more than daily can lead to inflammation and even itching. "Long, hot showers will definitely worsen dryness and increase itch," he adds.

The issue is that over-showering strips skin of natural lipids that serve as a protective barrier, preventing infection and helping to keep your skin healthy, "dewy and bright," he says.

"When the skin dries out, the skin barrier becomes compromised, which allows bacteria into the…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/life/