12 Shower Mistakes That Affect Your Health

2018-11-27

According to statistics, all of us spend about 1.5 years of our lives in the bathroom. And we spend about 6 months taking a shower. There is nothing surprising about this fact because hygiene plays a huge role in our lives. But few people know that there are some things that we do wrong in the shower.

Bright Side has collected 12 most popular mistakes that everyone makes when taking a shower.

Mistake № 1. We don’t take a shower after a workout.

Some people think that the only reason why they should take a shower right after a workout is the smell. But in fact, there are other reasons: sweating stimulates the production of bacteria on your skin that can cause a rash. So, we recommend you to take a shower as soon as possible.

Mistake № 2. We shave our legs before having a pedicure done.

Don’t shave your legs before having a pedicure done. You might get an infection through the little scratches on your feet.

Mistake № 3. We don’t take contrast showers.

Right before you finish taking a shower, turn on the cold water for 30 seconds. This will increase your stress resistance, make your immune system stronger, and work as an anti-depressant. But don’t forget that taking a contrast shower right before you sleep might lead to insomnia.

Mistake № 4. We take a shower and wash our hair every day.

People who have thin or weak hair should avoid washing it every day. The best cadence for washing hair is twice a week so the moisture in the hair stays balanced.

Also, don’t forget that taking a shower too often irritates and dehydrates the skin since the water washes off the good bacteria. This can lead to the increase of chances of having a skin infection.

Mistake № 5. We wrap our wet hair in a towel.

After getting wet, our hair becomes really vulnerable and easy to break. In order to avoid this, it is recommended to not wrap the hair with a towel after taking a shower. Also, because of the heat, the sebaceous glands start functioning more actively which makes the hair look less clean and tidy.

Mistake № 6. We forget about cleaning the shower head.

If you have been using a shower head for a long time, you might notice some kind of plaque on it that can be dangerous for your health. Scientists found that there can be bacteria on shower heads that can cause lung diseases.

Mistake № 7. We don’t use the soap dish correctly.

If you have a soap dish in your bathroom, make sure the water drains from it. Otherwise, the bacteria can reproduce right on the bar of soap.

Mistake № 8. We leave our razor in the shower.

In order to prevent bacteria from reproducing on a razor, leave it on a towel to dry. You should also change the blade regularly.

Mistake № 9. We use the same towel for too long.

Don’t use the same towel for a long time. If you use a towel that is not completely dry, there can be bacteria on it. Microbiologist Philip Tierno recommends using the same towel no more than 3 times before washing it.

Mistake № 10. We don’t wash the bathtub right after taking a shower.

Don’t forget to wash the bathtub right after taking a shower. The humid environment stimulates the reproduction of bacteria like E. coli. Washing the bathtub regularly can prevent an infection.

Mistake № 11. We leave our sponge in the shower.

By leaving a sponge in the shower, you let different bacteria reproduce faster in the wet conditions. So, it’s best to make sure the sponge is clean and store it in a dry area.

Mistake № 12. We don’t wash our feet.

Some people don’t wash their feet while taking a shower believing that the soap and water travel down the body and the feet get washed this way. Unfortunately, it’s not true and if you don’t wash your feet carefully, you might get a toenail fungus.

We hope that these pieces of advice are useful for you because there is nothing more valuable than health. Do you have some other tips that you would like to share with us? Tell us in the comment section below.

Illustrated by Leisan Gabidullina for BrightSide.me