J’cans urged to shower every day Dermatologist warns people about not bathing to conserve water

With householders thinking twice about how they use water in light of current restrictions, some people may be tempted to skip a shower or two to preserve the precious commodity.

But dermatologist Dr Kristen Hutchinson of Contemporary Medical Affiliates says that is not a good idea, particularly with Jamaica’s current heat.

“Given our climate, a daily shower is recommended to wash away sweat, body odour and micro-organisms like yeast and certain bacteria. In this heat, unless you are fortunate to be in an airconditioned environment all day, you will sweat,” Hutchinson said.

“[In] many parts of our body, there is bacteria and yeast that live on our skin, scalp and oil producing areas of our body. Without showering daily, those micro-organisms proliferate and cause an odour as well as can cause skin rashes like folliculitis and those associated with yeast and other bacteria,” she said.

Her advice comes as the Government continues efforts to conserve water, with prohibition orders in effect in several parishes, restricting certain uses of National Water Commission supplied water. However, Hutchinson said people who are trying to stretch their water supply can still keep clean.

“If using a small amount of water, focus on cleansing the parts of the body with the most sweat and oil glands – face, armpits, groin and feet and under breasts,” she said.

“A splash is not enough. You need to gently wash these areas to remove the sweat and bacteria buildup, but you would still use a smaller amount of gentle soap which is needed to remove the sweat and dirt. Small amounts of soap mean less water to rinse. You still need to cleanse those areas even if you are using a bath pan.”

And for those who sweat heavily, Hutchinson said one shower may not be enough.

“If you sweat a lot or go to the gym or do activities or work outside, you may benefit from a twice daily shower,” she said. But she warned that excessive showering, for example, more than twice daily, can also damage the skin.

“Especially with harsh soaps, cleansers and or use [of] hot water, the skin barrier can become damaged, as the harsh soaps and hot water can remove molecules like ceramides, hydrating lipid molecules within our skin,” she said. “As such, moisture is lost and the skin can become dry and eventually itchy. This can also worsen underlying dermatology conditions like eczema.”

The dermatologist said that for those concerned about protecting their skin while bathing, the solution is not necessarily to shower less, but to shower properly.

“I would recommend using non harsh soaps or cleansers that are not heavily fragranced and using lukewarm water rather than hot water. You should also limit your shower to less than 10 minutes and limit the use of physical exfoliants.”

She added, “When you come out of the shower, pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it, and moisturise afterwards to help retain the moisture in your skin.”