Do you really have to wash every day?

The French, followers of showers? According to the results of an Ifop survey, published on Tuesday, 76% of French people take a full bath “at least once a day”, compared to 53% of Italians. If the French seem to have made progress in terms of hygiene, especially since the lockdowns linked to Covid-19, is it advisable to wash daily? BFMTV.com posed the question to dermatologists.

As Dr. Laurence Netter, a cosmetic dermatologist in Paris, reminds us, the skin is an organ that constitutes “a barrier against the external environment” (against fine particles, pollution, UV rays, etc.). This barrier is called hydrolipidic film. Composed mainly of “water and fat”, its main function is to defend the skin against bacteria.

Lather sensitive areas

However, daily washing can end up damaging this film, and therefore the skin. According to Laurence Netter, “there’s no need to wash every day” entirely. However, certain areas, rich in bacteria, require daily washing: the intimate parts, the armpits, the spaces between the toes.

“The lack of hygiene can lead to a risk of infection, but an excess of hygiene can cause a break in balance and an attack on the skin’s hydrolipidic layer,” summarizes Dr. Marie Jourdan, a dermatologist in Paris and a member of the French Society . of Dermatology, with BFMTV.com.

To avoid skin problems, such as irritations or eczema, it would be better to “modulate personal hygiene” according to each person’s lifestyle, explains Marie Jourdan. External factors, such as sports, working conditions, possible hormonal imbalances can affect your personal hygiene routine in particular.

Favors soaps with neutral pH

In periods of heat waves or high temperatures, quick showers may be preferred, with soaping of sensitive areas.

“This lowers the temperature and wicks away perspiration,” explains Marie Jourdan.

Beyond each one’s body routine, dermatologists agree that the choice of products is essential.

“We must privilege surgras soaps, which respect the pH of the skin”, explains Marie Jourdan.

Instead, “soaps that foam too much” will be banned, according to Laurence Netter. As for hydration, it is especially recommended in winter, to protect the hydrolipidic film.