Expert Reveals How Many Times You Should Wash A Week

Social media is always home to ferocious debates about everyday problems, from how often men change their underwear to the classic bridezilla horror stories.

But this time around things have taken an unexpected turn. For some bizarre reason, A-list Hollywood celebrities have decided to inform the rest of us how often they shower.

And - hint, hint - it's not very regularly.

PA)

Jake Gyllenhaal was one of the first to get the conversation going, admitting that he doesn't shower that much.

"More and more I find bathing to be less necessary, at times," he said in an interview with Vanity Fair this month.

"I do also think that there’s a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves."

HIs revelation came after Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher shared their bathing rituals with the world last month, during a guest appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast.

"I don't wash my body with soap every day," said Mila. "But I wash pits and tits and holes and soles."

Ashton added: “I wash my armpits and my crotch daily, and nothing else ever."

Sorry, are we the only ones who think this is bonkers?!

Keen to get some answers, and dig into whether Hollywood stars have awful personal hygiene or simply know something we don't, Tyla spoke to a selection of experts about how often people should be bathing, and whether there really is such thing as washing too much.

Let's just say, their answers might surprise you...

PA)

Medical director, Doctor Ross Perry, founder of Cosmedics skin clinics tells Tyla that, believe it or not, the celebrities might be on to something.

He says that, while there isn't a blanket rule, three showers per week on average "is a reasonable amount for an average person".

"In terms of how many times a day an individual should shower or wash, there’s no specific amount but personal hygiene is down to the individual and daily washing is common," he adds.

Experts also warn that it is possible to shower too much, and doing so can leave our skin dry and itchy. While natural skincare expert Lisa Harris tells us it's okay to shower and bathe everyday - especially the "intimate areas" - she adds that washing too often can indeed damage the skin's natural pH levels as well as the natural microbiome of the skin.

"Our skin is home to a delicate balance of organisms that live on it, such as bacteria and viruses," she explains.

"This is called the natural microbiome of the skin and it is vital to help maintain the skin’s health and natural defences against attack.

Pexels_

"A disturbed skin flora can cause damage to the protective barrier which can be harmful not just to the skin but also to the whole body. This can result in dry skin and aggravate existing conditions such as eczema."

Who knew?!

Abbas Kanani, Superintendent Pharmacist at Chemist Click says that, on top of this, over-washing can result in dry and itchy skin.

"I would not recommend having more than one shower a day as you are stripping the natural oils from the skin when over washing," she says.

"Especially if you are using a shower gel with a high soap content, this will throw off the skin's PH balance promoting dry and aggravated skin as well as irritated and itchy genitalia."

According to Kanani, itching and dryness isn't the only indicator, as other signs of aggregated skin may include red patches or sore areas of skin, chafing, chapped skin and a sore scalp and neck.

Pexels)

None of the experts say there is a strict difference between how often women should shower compared to men. Instead, our daily activities and job roles affect how often we should bathe.

It seems obvious, but a more active, sweaty job or one that leaves you covered in dirt would demand more showers versus a sedentary office job for instance.

Showering too often in areas with hard water could also dry out your skin and hair more quickly.

So, basically, there are a lot of factors to consider...

Shutterstock)

All in all, the general consensus is that celebs actually aren't as gross as we might think for sparing themselves the odd shower.

Although, saying that, some of us *certainly* aren't lucky enough to be able to brave more than a day without getting a little stinky.

Anyone else feel thoroughly educated after that?! We're sorry we ever doubted you, Mila and Ashton...

Topics: Health

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.