Showering: tips for every skin type
We want to be clean, preferably down to the pores – always. A proud 93 percent of Germans like to shower often because they find it hygienic, according to the results of a Forsa survey. But is such pronounced cleanliness desirable at all – at least from the point of view of our largest organ, the skin?
Daily showering stresses the skin
Dry skin in particular is stressed by frequent showering. It loses important fats and moisture as a result. The protective acid mantle that protects the skin from external influences is damaged by every shower if the skin is dry. Although cleaning too intensively is also a burden for oily skin, it can build up the protective acid mantle more quickly.
Conclusion: It is not necessary to shower every day. Armpits, genital area and feet can also be cleaned with the washcloth. If you have to shower every day, you should do it as briefly as possible and not too hot, and not lather yourself completely every time.
Extra tip for athletes: If you have already showered in the evening after exercising, you should only wash briefly the next morning – that is completely sufficient and protects the skin from drying out.
Which skin needs what?
Dry skin People with low-fat and therefore dry skin should avoid anything that draws additional fat from it, because: “Even the best body lotion is never as good as the protection provided by the body’s own fats,” says Dr. Ax Gadermann. That means: shower as short and lukewarm as possible. Shower gels for dry skin should be pH-neutral (pH 7) to “acidic” (pH 5). It says so on the label – possibly in the fine print. Shower oils or cream showers are also recommended. dr Axt-Gadermann: “They don’t have a ‘replenishing effect’, as is often stated on the packaging, but they remove significantly less fat from the skin than a normal shower gel.” Exfoliation should be done no more than once a month.
Sensitive skin In this skin type, the regeneration of the protective acid mantle and the production of fat are disturbed. As a result, the skin reacts quickly to mechanical (e.g. wool) or chemical stimuli (e.g. fragrances and dyes) with reddening, burning or itching . For this Dr. Axt-Gadermann: “Recommendations similar to those for dry skin apply here. For showering, you should prefer products that contain as few surfactants as possible as well as few fragrances, colorings and preservatives.” To avoid irritation, it’s best to treat your skin like a raw egg : pat dry with soft towels, lukewarm water only, no scrubs.
Oily skin “This skin type is better able to cope with frequent showers, because the removed skin lipids are quickly replenished,” says Dr. Ax Gadermann. Nevertheless, you should use mild shower gels even if you have oily skin. Cleansing that is too aggressive would encourage the skin to produce even more oil.” “It’s best to take a lukewarm shower and save yourself the hassle of drying yourself: the evaporating water has a cooling effect – and lasts a little longer. The famous cold shower, on the other hand, only cools down briefly and then stimulates blood circulation in the skin: the best prerequisite for the next outbreak of sweat.”
Do cooling shower gels or lotions help against a heat wave?
The cooling effect is often achieved by adding essential oils (e.g. menthol in peppermint oil). However, this is not always well tolerated by sun-irritated skin. With cooling lotions and after-sun gels, the effect is usually based on the alcohol they contain – this in turn dries out the skin. So: good times for (lukewarm) wimps!
Rubbing increases blood flow to the skin
The blood circulation in the skin and thus the immune system can be stimulated with special peelings for the body, with brushes or glove massages, while dead skin cells are removed at the same time.
Shower gel as skin care
Shower gel is still the most popular product for both women and men. While the female users prefer it to be gentle with a caring effect, it can be fresh and tingling with invigorating active ingredients for men.