On day 1000 of quarantine life (honestly, we've lost count), when you've baked more loaves of bread than the peeps you are isolating with, worn the same day pajamas all week, there's a chance that showers too, might have lost the sense of urgency. Well, at the end of the day, no one can smell you through a webcam, right?
All jokes aside, is there a magic number of showers to be taking right now? You know you're supposed to wash our hands more often, but does that also apply to your body?
Do showers prevent COVID-19?
First things first, the chances of you catching the COVID-19 at your home are incredibly slim, if you and other members in your household aren't going out.
However, showering, after coming home from an errand, is probably a good idea. Similar to how handwashing works, showering with soap and water also helps removes bacteria from your skin. The virus can only be transmitted via your eyes, nose, and mouth. Although you won't get sick if your arm touches the surface with the virus on it, however, if your fingers touch your arm, and then proceed to touch your nose, that can be a different story.
MIT Technology Review recommends that you rinse off after every outing. Regardless of whether or not you're touching your face, it's a reasonable precaution that reduces the chance of carrying the virus around.
Want to skip today's shower? Think again.
For those of us who aren't going out, should we shower less? Short answer: not necessarily. Even if you're staying home, dead skin cells and dirt can still buildup on your body.
While sitting in your DIY workspace won't necessarily give you a buttne, according to dermatologist Estee Williams, MD, dead skin cells and dirt can still create a buildup on your skin. This buildup, also known as dermatitis neglecta, can lead to clogged pores and triggering breakouts.
What about showering too often?
On the other hand, showering 7 times a day, using soaps and high-temperature water, can also dry out your skin and hair.
Especially for those of us living in areas with hard or heavily chlorinated water, showering too often can also agitate your skin, causing it to feel flakey, red, and itchy.
A 2017 study from the University of Sheffield and King's College in London showed that "hard water can damage the skin's protective barrier, which increases sensitivity to irritants, such as those found in soap products."
Protecting your hair and skin.
How often you feel like showering is totally up to you. If you're already dealing with hard or chlorinated water, the best way to combat it is by installing a shower filter. So heavy metals and chlorine can be removed from your shower stream before coming into contact with your body.
A KLEAN Shower Filter helps remove over 90% of chlorine as well as water-soluble heavy metals like iron, copper, mercury, and lead. Get yours today here.
