Showering may appear to be a simple task but there are several ways you could be doing it incorrectly. How often do you take a shower? Is once enough? Are you using the right products? There are many common showering mistakes you might be making without even knowing. Take a look at them yourself. It is a part of our daily routine, but are you doing it right? Showering is more than just turning on the shower, lathering, rinsing, and drying. It’s also about using the right temperature and products, the frequency and periods, and more. Which mistake are you guilty of making. Read further to know about the most common showering mistakes people make and they can cause poor hair and skin quality.

Showering mistakes

Here are 5 common showering mistakes that you should not make:

1. Too hot showers

With winter upon us, a hot and long shower feels great, but hot water removes your skin’s natural oils and can dry out your skin too much. You can protect your skin by lowering the temperature and showering with warm water. Keep your shower to 5 to 10 minutes. This is especially important if you have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis.

2. Not moisturising post shower

Any moisturiser works by trapping the moisture in your skin. The best time to put it on is right after you have had a shower. Apply moisturiser within a few minutes of drying off. Moisturising is an important part of taking care of the skin, especially after getting out of the shower. In fact, one must also take care of using the right moisturizer.

3. Long time periods

Between the steam, streaming water, and warmth, it’s tempting to spend 15, 20, even 30 minutes in the shower, but many experts say anything more than 10 minutes is too much. You shouldn’t shower for more than 5 to 10 minutes. Shorter is better. Long showers strip your skin of moisture.

4. Showering too often

Did you know that washing actually removes healthy oils and bacteria from your skin, so showering too often could result in dry, itchy skin and allow bad bacteria to enter through cracked skin. The top layer of your skin is comprised of hard, dead cells and held together by lipids (or fatty compounds), which protect the underlying layers of healthy skin and helps to maintain moisture. If you shower frequently, your skin has less time to repair itself through natural oil production.

5. Not washing your towel

Damp towels are a breeding ground for bacteria, mould and yeasts. After just 4 uses, your towel will be covered in thousands of bacteria. These are bacteria, which you are then wiping all over your just washed body – a counterproductive exercise! Ensure that your towels are washed at least once a week and make sure you dry your towel between uses. Ideally hang them over a heated towel rail to help them dry quicker. Wash towels more often when you’re sick and if your home is humid, like during the summer.

In many parts of the world, taking a shower every day tends to be the norm. However, from a strictly medical perspective, it is not necessary for most people to shower this frequently. Personal hygiene does provide health benefits, and most people do need to shower regularly. Make sure to take care of the above listed showering mistakes!