Monday, 26 January 2009

  • Is Showering An American Habit?

    Guest post submitted by Cathy@lovelyish

    The reason I raise this question is because I live with two other girls and I'm the only one who showers every day. As a matter of fact, I get made fun of by them because I shower every day. My roomies, R and K, always try to convince me that it's OKAY not to shower every day because it's unnecessary. They also reassure me that it's such an American thing to do and that people in Europe can go for days without showering.

    It's an interesting theory. Personally, I've never heard of that, and I think it's a tad disgusting to go five days without showering (no joke, my roommates do this sometimes). Okay, if you skip a day, it's not so bad but any more? Ah! I mean, whatever floats your boat but I personally feel that it's unhygenic. How can that possibly be healthy?

    Anyway, I did some research and to my surprise, a study says that people who shower every day are more prone to sickness, and it's actually recommended to shower once a week. I guess I'm doomed, then.

    “By overwashing, we are placing our systems under great strain,” says Ponghe.

    Interestingly enough, those who washed only once a week, had a 4,5% lower incidence of viral infections than those in the control group. They also had a lower incidence of skin infections, but most of them reported that they had the distinct idea that their friends were avoiding them during this time.

    “While the physical advantages may be high, adopting this lifestyle might have a distinctly negative effect on one’s social life, and on your popularity if you work in an open office,” said Jane Olfactory, research assistant. “But sometimes we have to be prepared to make minor sacrifices for our health.”

    Do you think that it's an American habit to shower daily? In your opinion, is it unnecessary to shower every day or is it normal to bathe a couple of times a week?

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Comments (131)

  • furyyes@xanga

    My family is from England and when we moved to the States we couldn't believe that people shower every day.  We still shower every 2nd or 3rd day, and use deodorants and don't run into any awkward social situations.  My skin can't handle being washed every day, anyway, it is too sensitive.  I don't think Americans overshower, but I do think they shower more than other people...  My American husband has adopted my European habits to help conserve water.  He doesn't think it's weird or gross that I go a couple of days in between showers.
  • JadedJanissary@xanga

    Man, this entry had some real homework.

    But, no, when i was in europe, and when I was abroad, none of my co-students would go without showering.  My grandparents are from germany, and they shower daily, as did all the international students i boarded with in Switzerland (many of whom made fun of this particular stereotype - that europeans don't wash, or shave themselves)

    So, no, i think this one is a little bit off.
  • stevew918@xanga

    I moved here from Hong Kong.  I used to shower once a week because I did believed that too frequent shower would wash my protective layer away.  After I came to USA, I shower more frequently, daily during summer and every other day in the winter. One of my friend shower twice a day, I think it a waste unless you live in Houston and sweat all day long,  :)   Well, nice to know that I was right all along, but it is hard to go back to once a week shower though.

  • Neeka1@xanga

    Well now - I come from South Africa and live in the UK.  I shower everyday.....and sometimes when I am cold, I have a bath in the evenings toooooo.  Ewwww - going a few days without showering....ugh!!  The peeps that I know in the UK...shower everyday....as far as I know......now watch me go and ask all of them....hehehe
  • anne

    @stevew918@xanga - I was born in Houston so I totally know what you are saying about the sweating. Haha.
  • gratefulgrapefruit@xanga

    I shower 2 or 3 times a week generally.
  • hexogen@xanga

    I like to think that Americans make a habit out of showering... not all do, though.

  • PlasticPill@xanga

    It's true, Americans do tend to shower more often then the rest of the world. I'm glad to finally read a post about it, as every time I've mentioned it people disbelieved me, thinking everyone must shower daily.
  • UnVolume@xanga

    I used to shower twice a day and then I decided that the second shower was completely unnecessary so I stopped. My mom thinks it's gross if you don't shower twice a day. Maybe if I was back in Dominican Republic sweating all the time it would be, but in the middle of winter in Massachusetts it definitely isn't.
  • dont4getthis1@xanga

    I can't imagine how bad your "southern regions" would smell without being washed...yuck
    Also, my hair gets to greasy looking if I don't watch it every day, I know hair shouldn't be washed to often, but I can't help it. 
  • lil_squirrel4ever@xanga

    I think something must be wrong when someone smells bad, and honestly I always had this suspicion some people don't shower very often because how many days do you need to go without bathing to stink that bad?  There was this french girl in one of my classes who wore the same outfit every single class and she stunk too--disgusting.  I shower every day, and I feel gross if I don't.
  • PsychedelicBreakfast@xanga

    I shower everyday, and I'm not ashamed. Showering is glorious. I love to smell fresh, crisp, and brand new.
  • psuedomattmatt@xanga

    Do what you like. If you want to stay healthy and don't think you smell, skip a shower or two. If you stink, shower! 
  • kimchikid@xanga

    I prefer every other day. Because I start to smell after the third day and I can't use deodorant cause it irritates my skin...
  • elittlebear@xanga

    I think that's why perfume was invented, for not showering everyday.

    I think in winter (like 10 months/per in my city >"<), it's okay to not shower everyday. If you don't sweat or if it's not the period.

    But I have oily hair, even in winter it's oily too, I have to wash my hair everyday. So if I wash my hair, i may as well shower. Thus I shower everyday.

  • landlockedeyes@xanga

    Uh, no.
  • Audiofreak18@xanga

    I shower once a week at this point. In a few weeks I'll be back to showering twice a week. And yes, I'm an American. No, it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a Tennessean.
  • black_lie@xanga

    i'm from hong kong and in the summer sometimes we would shower twice a day, it was so humid without air conditioning. i live in the us now and i shower once a day normally, but sometimes in the winter i'll go a day or two without showering. and if it's break and i don't have to do anything i'll go three days without a shower =P
  • anonymous

    Wasn't this a featured entry some weeks ago? :|

    Anyway, it's definitely not an "American" habit; I've been to several other countries and everywhere I went, the people I was with (locals) showered daily.  It's a cleanliness thing. And I've had American friends who shower only every other day or even every two days (ew, in my opinion).
  • xpinaixstylesx@xanga

    I take a shower everyday because I gotsta stay freshhhh! 

    But I too think it's alright if you skip a day. but any more is just.. I don't know. I wouldn't do it. 
  • MJRx9000@xanga

    You'd think Europe would learn something after the BUBONIC PLAGUE
  • brokensoul42@xanga

    i can see skipping a day now and then, but personally i shower every day. i HAVE to showever every day! i feel like a nasty scuzbucket when i dont shower.
  • raspberryjade@xanga

    some people shower EVERY DAY no matter what.. I think that's ridiculous.. I mean, I try to shower every day, but if I literally did nothing and barely went outside, I don't stink, I'm not dirty.. I dunno..
  • raspberryjade@xanga

    @black_lie@xanga - hahaha vacations = I don't do anything and I'm sooo dirty hahaha
  • idanou@xanga

    I think the climate and/or work environment may have something to do with the need for showering. As a child I lived in a cold climate and pretty much stayed indoors all day. There was definitely no need to shower daily until puberty set in. (It was then that no matter where I lived, my hair looked as if I had poured oil on it if it wasn't shampooed daily). When I had children of my own (and lived in a very hot, humid climate, where they pretty much were outdoors all day) they NEEDED a shower every day. I think the consideration needs to be about personal hygiene rather than a cultural habit.

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