Here we go again! People debate whether showering daily is necessary
Some people still don't think you need to shower every day and are adamant that not doing so is actually good for your health...
For most people, showering or bathing in the morning and at night is a regular part of their daily routine, but for others, it is an option that depends on how dirty they are.
Social media users are once again arguing over whether it is necessary to shower daily after an interview from earlier this year resurfaced online recently.
Environmentalist Donnachadh McCarthy told the BBC that "a lot of the showering is performative", and most people only do it because of cultural expectations.
"Why are we washing? Mostly because we're afraid somebody else will tell us that we're smelling... I faced that fear, and I live," he said.
Donnachadh revealed several years ago in a separate interview that he only bathed once a week growing up. These days, he prefers to shower once a month. He does, however, wipe himself down at the sink with a cloth every day.
Donnachadh says that showering daily is bad for the environment, noting that one 10-minute shower can use 60 litres of water. Those numbers add up quickly if you shower twice a day, especially if you have a big family.
"Doctors say that overuse of soap removes the skin’s natural protective oils and good bacteria. This can exacerbate or cause complaints such as dermatitis," he told The Guardian in 2016.
"The longer one stays in the shower, the more of the skin’s oils are removed. The only real beneficiaries of over-frequent baths and showers are the companies that make and market soaps and shampoos. It is clear my daily shower habit resulted from falsely imposed cultural norms, rather than any legitimate health benefits."
Social media users are shocked that McCarthy would describe showing as a "performative" act with no legitimate health benefits.
"The health benefit is so you don't smell like s***. Hope this helps," one X (Twitter) user wrote.
Another X user said: "I actually work for a living. Sorry if I turned into a grease monkey from working. At least I shower daily not once every few days like y'all."
A third wrote: "Additional point: they're a good achor point when establishing routines. which are great for mental health."
"Every adult sweats and sheds skin cells every day and night," a fourth person commented.
Despite the overwhelmingly negative response, some social media users are adamant that showering every day is not healthy.
"You really don't get how bad that is for your skin and your scent. You will face consequences. Also, you are the gross one if you get so disgusting you need to shower daily."
Some went as far as saying it shouldn't be a rule to shower or bath daily just because it is seen as "proper hygiene".
"Calling it proper hygiene is begging the question, if you didn't exercise and don't smell, there is no reason to shower daily."
ALSO READ: WATCH: World's dirtiest man hasn't bathed for 67 years, believes cleanliness is unhealthy
It's got the health benefit of making you not smell bad
— Amber (@Ambersol13) September 17, 2024
And also just being nice, I love warm water https://t.co/eP49sAUGG9
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