Can I Wash my Body Too Much?

Since I was a small child I’ve been told that I should shower in the morning and in the night. Showering in the morning is refreshing, waking you up for the day ahead and the nighttime shower helps to wash off the dust and dirt particles that come in contact with your skin throughout the day. When you shower before bed you ensure that your sheets aren't sullied with the gas fumes from cars, potholes, and chimneys. Also, it’s a great way to de-stress. A warm shower can wash problems away and make you feel better about yourself. But, is there a downside to twice a day showering?

Darker skin is prone to be drier than other skin types, appearing “ashy”. I remember using a thick slob of Vaseline (which I do not suggest) to moisturize my hands, feet, and face when I was younger. It was the only thing that worked long term, especially in the winter. The other lotions would wear away in an hour or two leaving me with dry, crackled patches. Even after applying lotion right after showering when my skin was still damp like recommended, the results remained the same. Instead of looking like a bronze statue, my showering habits left me looking like a black and white leopard most of the time. I’m here to tell you that you can actually reduce your two times a day showering and even shower every other day. It may actually be healthier for your skin, retaining more moisture especially when you haven’t sweated or been in an environment that is dusty.

Similarly, when you wash your face too frequently, it can dry the skin on your face. Your face is exceptionally sensitive and gets irritated easily, which can exacerbate acne. Exfoliating too regularly (more than once or twice a week) can scrub off the new skin cells that appear daily, leaving your face red, flaky, dull and rash ridden. Avoid abrasive pads and grainy cleansers for daily use. Also, washing more often doesn't necessarily get rid of blackheads. Blackheads are caused by sebum, which lubricates skin and dead skin cells, not dirt.

Since the face is so sensitive, it’s important to follow a few rules. Use warm water, not hot or extremely cold to cleanse your face. Wash your face with a sensitive cleaner and then use cold water to close the pores of your skin, not allowing dirt and dust particles to get trapped in them. Don’t use a bar soap or a harsh cleanser (beware of ingredients like alcohol, comedogenic, propylene glycol, dyes, oils, or fragrance). After washing, use a face moisturizer with sunscreen that suits your skin type; dry, normal, oily, or a combination. Also, your face should be washed three times a day maximum, in the morning and in the night to remove the makeup, dirt, facial lotion, and everything else that your face braces as soon as you step out of the bathroom.

So how do you protect the largest organ on your body- your skin? Tell me if you think there is such a thing as being too clean.