Who doesn't love a daily shower, whether it's first thing in the morning, right before bedtime,
or both?
Regular bathing is a self-care ritual and a comforting and relaxing routine that makes
you look, smell, and feel good.
But what actually happens to your body when you stop bathing?
What if you want to save a bunch of money on your water bill and get in touch with your
cave-person roots?
Just like our emotions and amount of exercise can impact our body, it turns out there's
also a lot going on with our bodies when we stop bathing.
A rich garden for bacteria
Simply put, and unsurprisingly, deciding to stop bathing is no bueno for your body.
One of the most negatively impacted areas is the skin itself.
If you don't shower regularly, or only do so sparingly, you can expect your skin to
react adversely, and almost immediately.
That's because dead cells, sweat, and dust stick to your skin, and skipping a shower
means they won't get washed off.
That's a big deal, since this layer of undesirable gunk becomes a nice, happy home for all kinds
of gross bacteria to grow and stink up the joint: the joint, in this example, being your
entire body.
Smell to pay
Once you stop bathing, funky odors will start to build up due to natural and environmental
factors.
Those aforementioned dead skin cells and bacteria are building up in the various nooks and crannies
of your body.
If you engage in activities that produce sweat, the problem is compounded.
And the more you sweat, the worse it gets.
Bacteria and fungi need moisture to grow, and they'll do just that all over your body:
under the breasts, in the armpits, groin, and between your toes.
And within a few days, the weird smells will begin.
"Ugh, smells so bad."
Skipping showers: a rash decision
If you stop bathing, you're in for a brutal bout with dry skin.
You'll develop rough, dry patches, which indicate that skin is dehydrated.
And if you already have sensitive skin or suffer from acne or eczema, not bathing can
exacerbate said conditions and make them worse, especially during hot and humid months, since
your sweat ducts are being clogged up.
That's not all.
If you stop bathing, your skin can actually get hardened, which is a condition called
"retention hyperkeratosis" and mimics a rash.
Dr. Bobby Buka, a board-certified dermatologist, explained the condition, saying: "Dead skin,
dirt, and the body's natural oils are compacted together forming a sticky, glue-like material
on the outermost layer of the skin."
Putting the Ack! in acne
As if smelly, dry, scaly skin weren't bad enough, if you stop showering, chances are
you can develop acne in a variety of locations.
That includes both chest and back acne… also known as "bacne."
"You give your man a heart attack, cuz you got acne on your back, b-b-baby got bacne!"
The body's sebaceous glands, which are more prominent on the chest and back, secrete oil,
or sebum.
When there's too much sebum and your pores are clogged by built up dirt and crud, acne,
and bacne, will start to develop.
And when your body parts get all sweaty and unshowered, that sebum builds up to new heights,
allowing all kinds of bacteria to thrive and cause that dreaded acne and bacne that no
one wants.
So what's the cure for all this dermatological doom and gloom?
"Artie, take a shower.
You're covered in dirt."
"Fine."
Not all infections are skin deep
So, as we've clearly established by now, if you stop bathing for a prolonged period of
time, you're putting yourself at a higher risk for all sorts of infections, due to the
overgrowth of bacteria.
But if you thought that these problems stopped at your skin, you're flat wrong.
That's because we're talking about…
"Yeast infections!"
Yes, that's also among the possible afflictions you can get from opting out of a regular bathing
routine.
Now, like so many health issues, prevention is the best cure.
Sure, skipping a shower every once in a while is totally your prerogative, and giving up
on bathing for extended periods of time is absolutely one's own personal choice.
But a shower a day?
It really does appear to keep plenty of body and skin conditions away.