Question for child health experts: Does a tween/teen HAVE TO shower every single day?

[Anonymous]

It is absolutely not essential to shower every day. In fact, it is good practice to experiment with a personal preference for shower/bath frequency. Personally, I shower every other day and feel uncomfortable if I shower less frequently. Showering daily-unless particularly dirty or sweaty- makes my skin and hair dry. I have close friends and family and am a successful professional. I interact with people in public regularly. Maybe I am super stinky on those non-shower days (as you claim) but if so, it has not hindered me in life in any capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:All the teens and adults I know who only shower every other day or third day do in fact smell. They think they don’t, but they do.

Didn't take you long. You must have an alert set for shower posts.

Admit it, you're the 3 times a day underwear changer.

OP, it's perfectly fine to not shower every day. Ignore these nutjobs.

Look, just because you are nose blind to your own pungent funk doesn't mean others don't notice it.

DP here. I have one teen that needs a daily shower and one that doesn’t. Sorry nuance is hard for you.

Just says one of your kids is inactive and lazy.

Jesus woman. You are a massive b1tch.

x1 million

WTF is wrong with you?

Facts. If you are sweating then shower. Get some exercise it will help you! Many more benefits than being so lazy you never break a sweat and would rarely need a shower. That is nothing to brag about.

NP. How old are you?

How much do you exercise? Do you ever break a sweat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely not essential to shower every day. In fact, it is good practice to experiment with a personal preference for shower/bath frequency. Personally, I shower every other day and feel uncomfortable if I shower less frequently. Showering daily-unless particularly dirty or sweaty- makes my skin and hair dry. I have close friends and family and am a successful professional. I interact with people in public regularly. Maybe I am super stinky on those non-shower days (as you claim) but if so, it has not hindered me in life in any capacity.

Are you an active teen in the throws of puberty? Or a middle aged woman working from home?

[Anonymous]

My kid showers every other day if he doesn’t workout or have practice. On days he sweats or has practice, he showers. He’s not a stinky kid.

[Anonymous]

Showering should be as per needed IF you use water to wash after defecation, otherwise its needed every day. Just get a toilet hose from Home Depot or Amazon and hook it to your flush tank. Its nice to be clean even between showers too.

If your skin dries easily, daily shower or bath isn't advisable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the teens and adults I know who only shower every other day or third day do in fact smell. They think they don’t, but they do.

Didn't take you long. You must have an alert set for shower posts.

Admit it, you're the 3 times a day underwear changer.

OP, it's perfectly fine to not shower every day. Ignore these nutjobs.

Look, just because you are nose blind to your own pungent funk doesn't mean others don't notice it.

DP here. I have one teen that needs a daily shower and one that doesn’t. Sorry nuance is hard for you.

Just says one of your kids is inactive and lazy.

Jesus woman. You are a massive b1tch.

x1 million

WTF is wrong with you?

Facts. If you are sweating then shower. Get some exercise it will help you! Many more benefits than being so lazy you never break a sweat and would rarely need a shower. That is nothing to brag about.

NP. How old are you?

How much do you exercise? Do you ever break a sweat?

I exercise and shower daily.

How old are you?

[Anonymous]

https://people.com/parents/mila-kunis-and-ashton-kutcher-say-they/

[Anonymous]

Different bodies, different lifestyles, different needs to shower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://people.com/parents/mila-kunis-and-ashton-kutcher-say-they/

Kids are 4 and 6. Not relevant

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Daily showering is NOT necessary for good health for most people, and in fact is likely undermining good health in some cases - never mind the waste of water and energy involved. This is entirely an American thing, we have been brainwashed by advertising of products we don’t need to be clean and healthy.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/showering-daily-is-it-necessary-2019062617193

It is the cultural norm and expectation here. In other countries, various unpleasant body odors are common place. They aren’t here and you will stand out in a negative way. Especially in a group where no one else smells, it’s obvious where the smell is coming from

So then we agree that it's not medically necessary and if there is no BO it's not culturally necessary either. I just don't give a rats ass that you think I should smell like Dove every day.

Except medical professionals DO recommend daily showering. Where did you get the idea that they don't? OP doesn't say what her qualifications are or why she was even "supporting" the teen in her OP. Maybe she should stick to her day job and not question the professionals in charge of helping said teen.

Literally from various of my doctors (dermatologists).

Stop making sweeping generalizations for something that's nothing more than a personal preference.

Please stop repeating what your dermatologist recommends for your old-lady dry skin. No one cares and it isn’t applicable here

Of course it's applicable. You are just rude and uneducated. You think your preference for daily showers (which no one cares about either) is somehow applicable to everyone.

1) I've had dry skin my whole life. Sine birth.
2) my child has my genetics which means they have dry skin and eczema that had to be treated with steroids and antibiotics when they were a toddler. Even now as a teen they can't use soaps daily or it creates an issue.

Why are you so hell-bent on making everyone fit your stupid mold? Do what you want and leave the rest of us alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Different bodies, different lifestyles, different needs to shower.

If your teen is leading a lifestyle while they only need to shower every 3 days, that is concerning (lazy, sedentary, depressed)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daily showering is NOT necessary for good health for most people, and in fact is likely undermining good health in some cases - never mind the waste of water and energy involved. This is entirely an American thing, we have been brainwashed by advertising of products we don’t need to be clean and healthy.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/showering-daily-is-it-necessary-2019062617193

It is the cultural norm and expectation here. In other countries, various unpleasant body odors are common place. They aren’t here and you will stand out in a negative way. Especially in a group where no one else smells, it’s obvious where the smell is coming from

So then we agree that it's not medically necessary and if there is no BO it's not culturally necessary either. I just don't give a rats ass that you think I should smell like Dove every day.

Except medical professionals DO recommend daily showering. Where did you get the idea that they don't? OP doesn't say what her qualifications are or why she was even "supporting" the teen in her OP. Maybe she should stick to her day job and not question the professionals in charge of helping said teen.

Literally from various of my doctors (dermatologists).

Stop making sweeping generalizations for something that's nothing more than a personal preference.

Please stop repeating what your dermatologist recommends for your old-lady dry skin. No one cares and it isn’t applicable here

Of course it's applicable. You are just rude and uneducated. You think your preference for daily showers (which no one cares about either) is somehow applicable to everyone.

1) I've had dry skin my whole life. Sine birth.
2) my child has my genetics which means they have dry skin and eczema that had to be treated with steroids and antibiotics when they were a toddler. Even now as a teen they can't use soaps daily or it creates an issue.

Why are you so hell-bent on making everyone fit your stupid mold? Do what you want and leave the rest of us alone.

OP never mentioned her teen having eczema or unusually dry skin, if that were the case, I’m sure she would have mentioned it. It isn’t, this is YOUR problem, but not this teen’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daily showering is NOT necessary for good health for most people, and in fact is likely undermining good health in some cases - never mind the waste of water and energy involved. This is entirely an American thing, we have been brainwashed by advertising of products we don’t need to be clean and healthy.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/showering-daily-is-it-necessary-2019062617193

It is the cultural norm and expectation here. In other countries, various unpleasant body odors are common place. They aren’t here and you will stand out in a negative way. Especially in a group where no one else smells, it’s obvious where the smell is coming from

So then we agree that it's not medically necessary and if there is no BO it's not culturally necessary either. I just don't give a rats ass that you think I should smell like Dove every day.

Except medical professionals DO recommend daily showering. Where did you get the idea that they don't? OP doesn't say what her qualifications are or why she was even "supporting" the teen in her OP. Maybe she should stick to her day job and not question the professionals in charge of helping said teen.

Literally from various of my doctors (dermatologists).

Stop making sweeping generalizations for something that's nothing more than a personal preference.

Please stop repeating what your dermatologist recommends for your old-lady dry skin. No one cares and it isn’t applicable here

Of course it's applicable. You are just rude and uneducated. You think your preference for daily showers (which no one cares about either) is somehow applicable to everyone.

1) I've had dry skin my whole life. Sine birth.
2) my child has my genetics which means they have dry skin and eczema that had to be treated with steroids and antibiotics when they were a toddler. Even now as a teen they can't use soaps daily or it creates an issue.

Why are you so hell-bent on making everyone fit your stupid mold? Do what you want and leave the rest of us alone.

This is the poster who calls everyone old and posts a shit-ton of cringey comments pretending to be young but she’s like 58

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely not essential to shower every day. In fact, it is good practice to experiment with a personal preference for shower/bath frequency. Personally, I shower every other day and feel uncomfortable if I shower less frequently. Showering daily-unless particularly dirty or sweaty- makes my skin and hair dry. I have close friends and family and am a successful professional. I interact with people in public regularly. Maybe I am super stinky on those non-shower days (as you claim) but if so, it has not hindered me in life in any capacity.

Are you an active teen in the throws of puberty? Or a middle aged woman working from home?

Point is, it doesn't matter. It's a personal preference. My children are older teens and young adults. At a certain point their hygiene became their responsibility. If they looked or smelled like they were neglecting hygiene, we would have a discussion. Hey! Your hair looks greasy and stringy. Maybe you should shower! (In this instance, it turned out that DD wasn't rinsing her conditioner properly. She eventually sorted it out.)
Some points of discussion were a. personal comfort b. convenience c. consideration for other people d. societal conventions

There is no right or wrong amount to clean yourself and certainly no health benefit to showering daily vs. less frequently (I am a healthcare provider. I promise you this is true. Showering does not remove the natural bacteria that live on your skin. Hand washing though! Wash those hands early and often!!!)

Also, brush your teeth!!! That's a non-negotiable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daily showering is NOT necessary for good health for most people, and in fact is likely undermining good health in some cases - never mind the waste of water and energy involved. This is entirely an American thing, we have been brainwashed by advertising of products we don’t need to be clean and healthy.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/showering-daily-is-it-necessary-2019062617193

It is the cultural norm and expectation here. In other countries, various unpleasant body odors are common place. They aren’t here and you will stand out in a negative way. Especially in a group where no one else smells, it’s obvious where the smell is coming from

So then we agree that it's not medically necessary and if there is no BO it's not culturally necessary either. I just don't give a rats ass that you think I should smell like Dove every day.

Except medical professionals DO recommend daily showering. Where did you get the idea that they don't? OP doesn't say what her qualifications are or why she was even "supporting" the teen in her OP. Maybe she should stick to her day job and not question the professionals in charge of helping said teen.

Literally from various of my doctors (dermatologists).

Stop making sweeping generalizations for something that's nothing more than a personal preference.

Please stop repeating what your dermatologist recommends for your old-lady dry skin. No one cares and it isn’t applicable here

Of course it's applicable. You are just rude and uneducated. You think your preference for daily showers (which no one cares about either) is somehow applicable to everyone.

1) I've had dry skin my whole life. Sine birth.
2) my child has my genetics which means they have dry skin and eczema that had to be treated with steroids and antibiotics when they were a toddler. Even now as a teen they can't use soaps daily or it creates an issue.

Why are you so hell-bent on making everyone fit your stupid mold? Do what you want and leave the rest of us alone.

OP never mentioned her teen having eczema or unusually dry skin, if that were the case, I’m sure she would have mentioned it. It isn’t, this is YOUR problem, but not this teen’s.

Why would a teen need to disclose that to the therapist or OP?

Perhaps daily showering practices are better discussed with medical doctors and dermatologists and not in group settings such as OP described. Perhaps the whole point was to shame the teen which is what OP took the issue with and I think it's despicable. Your personal preferences are your own. Leave the rest of us alone.