How long should you really shower for? An expert sets the record straight

How long should you really shower for? An expert sets the record straight

08/24/2020

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Showers are a big part of our lives, so much so that many of us have formed our own routines when in one.

Perhaps you’re a lover of a speedy shower, or maybe you like to really enjoy your shower time, leaving your housemates or family members banging on the door telling you to hurry up!

But have you ever stopped to wonder how long you should actually shower for?

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Doctor Sadaf Hussain, founder of private clinic booking app ZoomClinic, spoke exclusively to OK! Online to counter any myths and tell us straight, how long we should really shower for.

“About eight to ten minutes is the ideal time,” Dr Sadaf explained, adding: “You want to come out of the shower clean and refreshed. Don’t over or under do it!”

And there’s method behind the specific timings, with staying in the shower for too short a time having its affect on the skin.

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“Spending too short time a time cleaning yourself can result in bacterial, fungal or other organisms living on your skin. We all have normal commensal flora living on our skin, which can be protective, but not cleaning yourself well could result in its overgrowth and risk other skin infections,” explained Dr Sadaf.

As well, spending too much time in the shower can also have repercussions for the skin.

“Spending too long in the shower could wash away natural oils that the skin produces to protect itself and to retain moisture,” Dr Sadaf told us.

Continuing: “If you have dry skin or skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, then you should consider having shorter showers and try not to have really hot showers as the heat could dry and irritate your skin. Warm showers may be better than hot showers.

“The duration of the shower, the temperature of the water and what cleansing agent you use could all affect your skin.”

So there you have it, eight to ten minutes is the recommend time to stay in the shower for!

And on the topic of showers, some people swear by a blast of cold while in there, if you’re brave enough that is.


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Speaking on The Joe Wicks podcast, Fearne Cotton, 38, revealed how to improve mental health first thing in the morning and it’s simple… head into the shower and turn it to cold!

The former Radio 1 DJ explained: “I’ll have a warm shower and then I put it on the most cold, freezing setting it will go on. I can stay in there now for three minutes and then I get out. It is heaven, you are pumped!”

And it turns out that Fearne’s morning method has legs, as cold showers are known to be very beneficial.

As Heathline.com notes: “Cold showers are not a main source of treatment for any condition, but they may help improve symptom relief and general well-being.”

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