I can see why that is a hard question to answer, considering that bathing is very often a cultural based opinion. Some cultures shun bathing, others really care about hygiene.

I expect you are looking for a medical related advice, as in, what is the recommended amount of showering to ensure safety from catching sicknesses, etc? I'm not sure you will find such an answer other than asking a few doctors yourself on the matter. I personally doubt they have a actual study based answer to give you, this sort of question isn't something many people have probably decided to experiment and find optimum health per shower sort of thing.

I personally think 2-3 times per week is lacking, people very often begin to smell "human" within 2 days I would say. I take 1-3 showers a day minimum, not because of hygiene issues, but I can't stand the idea of going to bed with germs that I picked up all day and smothering my bed with it while I am sleeping with my immune system down, and I need a shower after I wake up to well, wake up. This causes me problems during the wintertime though, I get dry skin as a result of having washed out my natural body oils.

So I'd recommend at least once every day or two days.

mikolas is just a germ freak, lol.. sorry but 1-3 times a day?

I've been bathing 2-3 times a week my whole life.. and germs don't come eat me while I sleep. I rarely get colds and am fit. Just do what works for you. If you sweat a lot, or people edge away from you on the bus, you can up it a bit, but dont go nuts.

i also shower about twice a week. i don't sweat a lot, even when i work out, so i don't feel dirty. if you were having skin problems, or something like that, maybe you should consider showering more, but really it just depends on your body. i personally hate showering more often than this because i have eczema and showers break my skin out, and anyway, no one tells me i smell funny (lol!) even when i ask (and my friends would tell me if i did lol!) so i wouldn't worry about it unless you actually have issues from it.

I shower at least 6 times a week. I workout almost every day so I have to take a shower after I sweat.

A friend of mine is a retired Dr and while working he went to Australia for some convention.

Anyway.... he told my family that showering and using shower gels etc actually wash off your natural oils in the skin therefore lessoning your body's protection from the sun.

I may be wrong but what about in the 'olden' days - the Victorians were known for their lack of batheing - did they get skin cancer? It's a relatively new illness - right? maybe I'm wrong ) I havent googles my history on this - just what I remember.


I too shower twice a week - I dont have a strenuous job - and sorry but I dont do gym - got two wee kids to keep me active.

My eldest has eczema and the nurses told me to bathe him less rather than more - as cyanideandsugar says above - it breaks out the skin.

And yes Im sure my freinds would say if I smelled - I knew a new mum who went for 2 weeks without a shower - but she was so relieved when she finally got one =-)

Wake up in the morning - Do your business and take a damn shower for crying out loud.Keep your body clean and prepare for the dirt the world has to offer for the day.

Goto work, collect dust and dirt on your skins pores, come back home and slip into a quick shower. No need to use soap during a quickie.Chemicals in the soap is what causes all the dryness of the skin, so use soap sparingly if needed during quickies.

Cook/go out/play/work out , come back wash off your dirty hands,smelly face,underarm pits & pubic stink for screaming out loud, take a long warm shower for a long relaxing sleep before dinner. post dinner, brush, floss and listerine your teeth.

avoid baths if you are a man.

No need to be so rude - do yo have young kids?

looks like you have all the time in the world - some mums have to make do with time for washing at a sink DAILY - like me - while kids are running under our feet - im not saying all mums but you try finding time to do your 3-4 showers a day when you've got screaming kids and work a 50-60 hour week.

i thought this website was about sharing info not critising others

I have a skin condition called eczema and my allergist told me to take quick, lukewarm showers rather than long hot ones, not to soak in the tub unless I added whole milk or body oil to the water, to try to only bathe once a day... He also told me that it was not necessary to bathe every day. However, he only meant a full bath or shower. It is still necessary to clean your underarms, genitals, rear end and feet EVERY DAY or you will begin to stink. You can take what some people call a sink bath/ wash off/ French bath (sorry if this term offends anyone) where you use a wash cloth and a sink full of water to cleanse these essential areas.

wow I think everyone knows how to brush their teeth and wash their hands thank you. water also dries out your skin and taking 3 showers a day is ridiculous no one should have to take more than one shower in a normal day how dirty can you get in 4 hours really? besides women can't just shower and go we have to worry about our hair (mine takes like an hour to dry and do) and make up which I don't have time for 3 times a day. Also that's a LOT of extra laundry....
p.s. I've heard that for healthy hair and skin it's best to shower once every other day