Grab soap and a sponge: It’s time to get clean and talk hygiene

Sep 09, 2021 at 07:20 PM CDT

Straight Arrow News

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Celebrities are sharing their hygiene habits with the world, and that’s stirring up conversations all over social media. Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Matthew McConaughey are the latest celebrities to talk online about showering. The Kutchers pushed back at criticism, showing social media users they bathe their children. Now, people are questioning how often is too often to shower. Straight Arrow News medical expert Dr. Payal Kohli dives into the recommended hygiene routines people should follow to maintain good health.

Straight Arrow News

Tags: Society at Large

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

HEY EVERYONE, I’M TAYLOR KNIGHT WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GOTTEN KIND OF DIRTY LATELY AND NO GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CELEBRITIES SHARING HOW LITTLE THEY SHOWER AND BATHE.

FOR EXAMPLE, MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY SAYS HE DOESN’T WEAR DEODORANT.

WELL ASHTON KUTCHER AND MILA KUNIS SAY THEY ONLY BATHE THEIR KIDS WHEN THEY SEE DIRT ON THEM.

AND JAKE GYLLENHAAL SAYS HE FINDS IT UNNECESSARY TO BATHE THAT OFTEN.

SO BEFORE YOU CHANGE YOUR HYGIENE HABITS, LET’S BRING IN STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MEDICAL EXPERT DR. KOHLI.

DR.KOHLI :

THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I’M EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT HYGIENE.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

ARE THESE CELEBRITIES ONTO SOMETHING? SHOULD PEOPLE BATHE LESS? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS IF SOMEONE BATHES LESS?

DR.KOHLI:

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO IT’S PROBABLY BENEFICIAL TO BATHE LESS RATHER THAN MORE OFTEN. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SKIN DISORDERS, OR ANY KIND OF CONDITIONS, INFLAMMATORY TYPE OF CONDITIONS THAT CAN AFFECT THE SKIN, BECAUSE WHEN YOU BATHE, YOU END UP USING SO MUCH CHEMICALS, GELS, TO YOU KNOW, SLOUGH OFF THAT BACTERIA, BUT IT CAN ALSO REALLY DRY OUT THE SKIN. AND IF YOU OVERBATHE OR YOU BATHE TOO LONG, OR TOO OFTEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET CRACKS OR BREAKDOWN AT THE SKIN’S BARRIER AS WELL.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

HOW OFTEN SHOULD SOMEONE SHOWER? IS THERE A RULE? CAN YOU GIVE US THE LOWDOWN OF THAT.

DR.KOHLI:

SO A LITTLE BIT OF IT DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSONAL MEDICAL HISTORY. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A SKIN CONDITION, YOU MAY WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SHOWERING EVERY DAY. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU’RE SOMEBODY WHO’S SUSCEPTIBLE TO SKIN INFECTIONS, YOU MAY WANT TO SHOWER MORE OFTEN. BUT USUALLY A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS ABOUT ONCE A DAY YOU SHOULD TAKE A SHOWER.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

AND THEN WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS IF SOMEONE DOES SHOWER DAILY OR DEPENDING ON THEIR BODY? WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS WHEN IT COMES TO SHOWERING OFTEN.

DR.KOHLI:

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHEN YOU’RE SHOWERING, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE NOT JUST SMELLING GOOD, YOU’RE ACTUALLY GETTING RID OF DEAD SKIN CELLS AND BACTERIA. SO YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING INFECTIONS SUCH AS GENITAL INFECTIONS, YEAST INFECTIONS, SKIN INFECTIONS, YOU CAN EVEN REDUCE LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING SINUS TYPE OF INFECTIONS, BECAUSE THE STEAM IN THE SHOWER HELPS TO OPEN THINGS UP. AND IT CAN HELP TO CLEAR YOUR NASAL PASSAGES. OF COURSE, WASHING YOUR HANDS ALSO HELPS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF RESPIRATORY SINUS AND UPPER AIRWAY INFECTIONS.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

SO COULD YOU GIVE US A TIMEFRAME, WHAT IS TOO LONG, OR IS THAT AGAIN, JUST DEPEND ON THE PERSON.

DR.KOHLI:

YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU’RE STARTING TO HAVE A SMELL THAT’S TOO LONG, BUT ESSENTIALLY, I WOULD SAY MORE THAN TWO OR THREE DAYS, IT’S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA. EVEN IF YOU CAN’T GET INTO THE SHOWER FOR ANY MEDICAL REASON OR ANY OTHER REASON YOU AT LEAST WANT TO SPONGE OFF AGAIN JUST TO REDUCE THAT BACTERIAL COUNT ON YOUR SKIN AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE GETTING RID OF ANYTHING THAT COULD BE INCREASING YOUR RISK FOR HEALTH PROBLEMS.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

GOT IT. SO IF I’M STROLLING DOWN THE GROCERY AISLE, WHAT HYGIENE PRODUCTS ARE NECESSARY FOR EVERYDAY USE.

DR.KOHLI:

SO I LIKE TO THINK OF IT FROM HEAD TO TOE SO TO SPEAK.

SO YOU DEFINITELY WANT SOMETHING TO WASH YOUR HAIR. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WASH YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY. BUT EVERY FEW DAYS, AGAIN, YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THOSE DEAD SCALP CELLS, YOU WANT SOMETHING TO WASH YOUR FACE. BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T DO THAT YOU HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF ACNE, YOU HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF OTHER TYPES OF SKIN CONDITIONS, INFLAMMATORY SKIN CONDITIONS THAT CAN OCCUR.

SO YOU WANT SOMETHING TO WASH YOUR FACE YOUR TEETH, YOU CAN’T FORGET ABOUT THOSE. SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH, YOUR TOOTHPASTE, YOUR FLOSS, AND ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND THEN YOUR BODY, SOME KIND OF BODY WASH OR SOAP JUST TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, YOU’RE GETTING RID OF ALL THAT BACTERIA AND GET INTO ALL OF THOSE LITTLE SPACES.

SO GET IN BETWEEN YOUR TOES, GET YOU KNOW DOWN THERE NEAR YOUR GENITALS MAKE SURE YOU’RE CLEANING PROPERLY AND GETTING RID OF ANYTHING THAT COULD BE LEADING TO DISEASE.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD SHARE WITH US ABOUT HYGIENE THE DAILY ROUTINE PEOPLE SHOULD FOLLOW OR JUST ANYTHING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND?

DR.KOHLI:

SO IF YOU HAVE GOOD HYGIENE, IT HELPS YOUR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AS WELL BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY RECEIVE YOU BETTER IF YOU HAVE GOOD HYGIENE, AND YOU’RE STAYING CLEAN AND HEALTHY. SO ALL OF THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD REASONS TO KEEP YOUR BODY CLEAN AND HEALTHY AND GIVE YOURSELF SOME TLC AND MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY NOT JUST FROM THE INSIDE, BUT FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL.

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

WOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR THIS INTERVIEW GETTING US STRAIGHT WITH ALL THESE HYGIENE FACTS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR SPENDING THIS TIME WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU.

DR.KOHLI:

DON’T FORGET TO TAKE THAT SHOWER.

TAYLOR:

I WON’T.

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