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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, first of all THANK YOU for all the answers, I appreciate everyone who took the question seriously even though there was a range of answers.

To answer the couple of people who asked what the issue the meeting was to discuss, it was bedtime routines that will help her sleep better. It's not that I silently disagreed with a nightly shower as a way to relax, I get that. It's that the therapist said "How about you do ______ every night before you take your shower to save time, then take your nightly shower, then - " and the teen interrupted and said "I don't shower every night. Usually every other night." And the therapist was visually surprised and bothered, and instead of asking questions like "So, tell me about your choice not to shower every night, or is there something that stops you from doing it?" And she said "I just don't feel like it every night" and then the therapist went on to say she had to, that it was the only way to stay adequately clean and not smell. AS IF your genital health will actually be compromised and your body odor noticeable if you don't, in every case.

That's what I took issue with, since the therapist had been seeing the girl in person for over a year and no one had complained about any smell or odor, she'd never been bullied or made fun of about it (bullying wasn't an issue at all in her case), and she has many friends.

Again, I am fine with the idea of a shower every night to help relax and make it more likey she'll fall asleep faster (getting to sleep was sometimes an issue for her so overall the parents are being advised to have a more structured routine, which makes perfect sense). It was the therapist going straight in on insisting on daily showers and telling her it was a healthy body/healthy privates issue and very important she do it daily that bugged the hell out of me.

Anonymous wrote:This is why professionals need to give a basis for their recommendations, so you can see if the premise makes sense. Daily bathing is not, for example, a medical/health necessity, but I can see where for some people (adhd, depression, etc) the recommendation is more about sticking to a routine or demonstrating ability to care for oneself. Does not sound like this was needed here though.

Thank you for this, I explained the bigger point above, but you're right, it was originally about the routine but there were other things she offered as ideas to get to sleep faster that the teen or her parents shot down, and the therapist was very flexible. But this she was like "Oh, NO, you MUST SHOWER DAILY!!!" Specifically for medical/health reasons, and that is what bugged me because I've never ever had anyone (and I used to have to train temporary care parents and adoptive parents in the basic necessities and basic practices and of course hygeine was important for both physical and emotional/mental reasons, but never was a daily shower insisted on by the experts. Daily recommended, but clean and at least a few showers/baths a week was mandatory.

Thank you and thanks everyone!

Sorry. But your therapist is right. She really should be showering daily. Perhaps her delivery if that message could be better. But you should have been telling her this all along. So I guess someone else had to.

Or you could just keep your uneducated opinions to yourself.

Please source your claim that nobody recommends daily showering. I already provided 2 links that daily showering is recommended.

Well I will choose to listen to my dermatologist (actually several of them) who have advised me that showering daily is just not necessary and could dry out my skin too much.

Showering daily is such an American thing. As usual, because it’s something you do, it just has to be right. The rest of the world doesn’t shower daily and they live long, healthy lives.

What the dermatologist recommended for YOU probably a middle aged or older woman with psoriasis, eczema, or some other chronic dry skin condition has absolutely nothing in common with OPs question. Her daughter is 15 and clearly struggling with some mental health issues- so yeah, a daily shower is a good thing, from a health and social stand point

BS! It's a purely cultural thing and has nothing to do with actual health.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps there is more to the story with the kid receiving therapy. A teen doesn't typically need a strict bedtime routine, but for some reason this kid's therapist thought it necessary. And maybe the kid has a history of being depressed and not caring for herself. My sister gets horribly depressed and the first thing to go is self care.

But for most people, no - it isn't necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, first of all THANK YOU for all the answers, I appreciate everyone who took the question seriously even though there was a range of answers.

To answer the couple of people who asked what the issue the meeting was to discuss, it was bedtime routines that will help her sleep better. It's not that I silently disagreed with a nightly shower as a way to relax, I get that. It's that the therapist said "How about you do ______ every night before you take your shower to save time, then take your nightly shower, then - " and the teen interrupted and said "I don't shower every night. Usually every other night." And the therapist was visually surprised and bothered, and instead of asking questions like "So, tell me about your choice not to shower every night, or is there something that stops you from doing it?" And she said "I just don't feel like it every night" and then the therapist went on to say she had to, that it was the only way to stay adequately clean and not smell. AS IF your genital health will actually be compromised and your body odor noticeable if you don't, in every case.

That's what I took issue with, since the therapist had been seeing the girl in person for over a year and no one had complained about any smell or odor, she'd never been bullied or made fun of about it (bullying wasn't an issue at all in her case), and she has many friends.

Again, I am fine with the idea of a shower every night to help relax and make it more likey she'll fall asleep faster (getting to sleep was sometimes an issue for her so overall the parents are being advised to have a more structured routine, which makes perfect sense). It was the therapist going straight in on insisting on daily showers and telling her it was a healthy body/healthy privates issue and very important she do it daily that bugged the hell out of me.

Anonymous wrote:This is why professionals need to give a basis for their recommendations, so you can see if the premise makes sense. Daily bathing is not, for example, a medical/health necessity, but I can see where for some people (adhd, depression, etc) the recommendation is more about sticking to a routine or demonstrating ability to care for oneself. Does not sound like this was needed here though.

Thank you for this, I explained the bigger point above, but you're right, it was originally about the routine but there were other things she offered as ideas to get to sleep faster that the teen or her parents shot down, and the therapist was very flexible. But this she was like "Oh, NO, you MUST SHOWER DAILY!!!" Specifically for medical/health reasons, and that is what bugged me because I've never ever had anyone (and I used to have to train temporary care parents and adoptive parents in the basic necessities and basic practices and of course hygeine was important for both physical and emotional/mental reasons, but never was a daily shower insisted on by the experts. Daily recommended, but clean and at least a few showers/baths a week was mandatory.

Thank you and thanks everyone!

Sorry. But your therapist is right. She really should be showering daily. Perhaps her delivery if that message could be better. But you should have been telling her this all along. So I guess someone else had to.

Or you could just keep your uneducated opinions to yourself.

Please source your claim that nobody recommends daily showering. I already provided 2 links that daily showering is recommended.

Well I will choose to listen to my dermatologist (actually several of them) who have advised me that showering daily is just not necessary and could dry out my skin too much.

Showering daily is such an American thing. As usual, because it’s something you do, it just has to be right. The rest of the world doesn’t shower daily and they live long, healthy lives.

What the dermatologist recommended for YOU probably a middle aged or older woman with psoriasis, eczema, or some other chronic dry skin condition has absolutely nothing in common with OPs question. Her daughter is 15 and clearly struggling with some mental health issues- so yeah, a daily shower is a good thing, from a health and social stand point

BS! It's a purely cultural thing and has nothing to do with actual health.

Says you. But experts say otherwise:

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/child-bathing#:~:text=Tweens%20and%20teens%3A%20Guidelines%20for,to%20remove%20oil%20and%20dirt

[Anonymous]

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

Human pheromones smell pleasant, unless you've been brainwashed.

As someone who frequently takes public transit in other counties, I strongly disagree

But that's a you problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, first of all THANK YOU for all the answers, I appreciate everyone who took the question seriously even though there was a range of answers.

To answer the couple of people who asked what the issue the meeting was to discuss, it was bedtime routines that will help her sleep better. It's not that I silently disagreed with a nightly shower as a way to relax, I get that. It's that the therapist said "How about you do ______ every night before you take your shower to save time, then take your nightly shower, then - " and the teen interrupted and said "I don't shower every night. Usually every other night." And the therapist was visually surprised and bothered, and instead of asking questions like "So, tell me about your choice not to shower every night, or is there something that stops you from doing it?" And she said "I just don't feel like it every night" and then the therapist went on to say she had to, that it was the only way to stay adequately clean and not smell. AS IF your genital health will actually be compromised and your body odor noticeable if you don't, in every case.

That's what I took issue with, since the therapist had been seeing the girl in person for over a year and no one had complained about any smell or odor, she'd never been bullied or made fun of about it (bullying wasn't an issue at all in her case), and she has many friends.

Again, I am fine with the idea of a shower every night to help relax and make it more likey she'll fall asleep faster (getting to sleep was sometimes an issue for her so overall the parents are being advised to have a more structured routine, which makes perfect sense). It was the therapist going straight in on insisting on daily showers and telling her it was a healthy body/healthy privates issue and very important she do it daily that bugged the hell out of me.

Anonymous wrote:This is why professionals need to give a basis for their recommendations, so you can see if the premise makes sense. Daily bathing is not, for example, a medical/health necessity, but I can see where for some people (adhd, depression, etc) the recommendation is more about sticking to a routine or demonstrating ability to care for oneself. Does not sound like this was needed here though.

Thank you for this, I explained the bigger point above, but you're right, it was originally about the routine but there were other things she offered as ideas to get to sleep faster that the teen or her parents shot down, and the therapist was very flexible. But this she was like "Oh, NO, you MUST SHOWER DAILY!!!" Specifically for medical/health reasons, and that is what bugged me because I've never ever had anyone (and I used to have to train temporary care parents and adoptive parents in the basic necessities and basic practices and of course hygeine was important for both physical and emotional/mental reasons, but never was a daily shower insisted on by the experts. Daily recommended, but clean and at least a few showers/baths a week was mandatory.

Thank you and thanks everyone!

Sorry. But your therapist is right. She really should be showering daily. Perhaps her delivery if that message could be better. But you should have been telling her this all along. So I guess someone else had to.

Or you could just keep your uneducated opinions to yourself.

Please source your claim that nobody recommends daily showering. I already provided 2 links that daily showering is recommended.

Well I will choose to listen to my dermatologist (actually several of them) who have advised me that showering daily is just not necessary and could dry out my skin too much.

Showering daily is such an American thing. As usual, because it’s something you do, it just has to be right. The rest of the world doesn’t shower daily and they live long, healthy lives.

What the dermatologist recommended for YOU probably a middle aged or older woman with psoriasis, eczema, or some other chronic dry skin condition has absolutely nothing in common with OPs question. Her daughter is 15 and clearly struggling with some mental health issues- so yeah, a daily shower is a good thing, from a health and social stand point

BS! It's a purely cultural thing and has nothing to do with actual health.

Says you. But experts say otherwise:

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/child-bathing#:~:text=Tweens%20and%20teens%3A%20Guidelines%20for,to%20remove%20oil%20and%20dirt

Experts in the US perhaps. Some of us grew up differently and were fine not bathing every day.

I don't know why you think that the American way is always the best way when the overwhelming majority of the world lives differently. Their experts disagree with the US experts.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many people here are acting as though there are only two options - shower daily or stink.

That’s ridiculous.

Most of the odor created by the human body comes from pits and privates. On the days a person doesn’t shower, of course they should wash their pits and privates - leaving all the other non-smelly areas of skin free from over washing and drying out. Dry shampoo works wonders for hair that is a little too shiny between washes.

Honestly some of you are obsessive to an unhealthy degree.

And most definitely the therapist was WAY out of line to suggest to a 15 year old patient that there is something wrong with her for showering every other day.

A lazy teen that doesn’t feel like showering is definitely not going to be washing their pits and privates at the sink. Get real.

This. I myself am not sure how I would thoroughly wash my pits and privates without getting into thw shower or making a big mess of the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, first of all THANK YOU for all the answers, I appreciate everyone who took the question seriously even though there was a range of answers.

To answer the couple of people who asked what the issue the meeting was to discuss, it was bedtime routines that will help her sleep better. It's not that I silently disagreed with a nightly shower as a way to relax, I get that. It's that the therapist said "How about you do ______ every night before you take your shower to save time, then take your nightly shower, then - " and the teen interrupted and said "I don't shower every night. Usually every other night." And the therapist was visually surprised and bothered, and instead of asking questions like "So, tell me about your choice not to shower every night, or is there something that stops you from doing it?" And she said "I just don't feel like it every night" and then the therapist went on to say she had to, that it was the only way to stay adequately clean and not smell. AS IF your genital health will actually be compromised and your body odor noticeable if you don't, in every case.

That's what I took issue with, since the therapist had been seeing the girl in person for over a year and no one had complained about any smell or odor, she'd never been bullied or made fun of about it (bullying wasn't an issue at all in her case), and she has many friends.

Again, I am fine with the idea of a shower every night to help relax and make it more likey she'll fall asleep faster (getting to sleep was sometimes an issue for her so overall the parents are being advised to have a more structured routine, which makes perfect sense). It was the therapist going straight in on insisting on daily showers and telling her it was a healthy body/healthy privates issue and very important she do it daily that bugged the hell out of me.

Anonymous wrote:This is why professionals need to give a basis for their recommendations, so you can see if the premise makes sense. Daily bathing is not, for example, a medical/health necessity, but I can see where for some people (adhd, depression, etc) the recommendation is more about sticking to a routine or demonstrating ability to care for oneself. Does not sound like this was needed here though.

Thank you for this, I explained the bigger point above, but you're right, it was originally about the routine but there were other things she offered as ideas to get to sleep faster that the teen or her parents shot down, and the therapist was very flexible. But this she was like "Oh, NO, you MUST SHOWER DAILY!!!" Specifically for medical/health reasons, and that is what bugged me because I've never ever had anyone (and I used to have to train temporary care parents and adoptive parents in the basic necessities and basic practices and of course hygeine was important for both physical and emotional/mental reasons, but never was a daily shower insisted on by the experts. Daily recommended, but clean and at least a few showers/baths a week was mandatory.

Thank you and thanks everyone!

Sorry. But your therapist is right. She really should be showering daily. Perhaps her delivery if that message could be better. But you should have been telling her this all along. So I guess someone else had to.

Or you could just keep your uneducated opinions to yourself.

Please source your claim that nobody recommends daily showering. I already provided 2 links that daily showering is recommended.

Well I will choose to listen to my dermatologist (actually several of them) who have advised me that showering daily is just not necessary and could dry out my skin too much.

Showering daily is such an American thing. As usual, because it’s something you do, it just has to be right. The rest of the world doesn’t shower daily and they live long, healthy lives.

What the dermatologist recommended for YOU probably a middle aged or older woman with psoriasis, eczema, or some other chronic dry skin condition has absolutely nothing in common with OPs question. Her daughter is 15 and clearly struggling with some mental health issues- so yeah, a daily shower is a good thing, from a health and social stand point

BS! It's a purely cultural thing and has nothing to do with actual health.

Says you. But experts say otherwise:

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/child-bathing#:~:text=Tweens%20and%20teens%3A%20Guidelines%20for,to%20remove%20oil%20and%20dirt

Experts in the US perhaps. Some of us grew up differently and were fine not bathing every day.

I don't know why you think that the American way is always the best way when the overwhelming majority of the world lives differently. Their experts disagree with the US experts.

When in Rome.... People don't often like when Americans abroad complain about doing things different or a better way like they do "back home". It makes them look ignorant.

[Anonymous]

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.

See link above about what dermatologists recommend for teens. You are not a teen. Your personal questionable hygiene habits are irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, first of all THANK YOU for all the answers, I appreciate everyone who took the question seriously even though there was a range of answers.

To answer the couple of people who asked what the issue the meeting was to discuss, it was bedtime routines that will help her sleep better. It's not that I silently disagreed with a nightly shower as a way to relax, I get that. It's that the therapist said "How about you do ______ every night before you take your shower to save time, then take your nightly shower, then - " and the teen interrupted and said "I don't shower every night. Usually every other night." And the therapist was visually surprised and bothered, and instead of asking questions like "So, tell me about your choice not to shower every night, or is there something that stops you from doing it?" And she said "I just don't feel like it every night" and then the therapist went on to say she had to, that it was the only way to stay adequately clean and not smell. AS IF your genital health will actually be compromised and your body odor noticeable if you don't, in every case.

That's what I took issue with, since the therapist had been seeing the girl in person for over a year and no one had complained about any smell or odor, she'd never been bullied or made fun of about it (bullying wasn't an issue at all in her case), and she has many friends.

Again, I am fine with the idea of a shower every night to help relax and make it more likey she'll fall asleep faster (getting to sleep was sometimes an issue for her so overall the parents are being advised to have a more structured routine, which makes perfect sense). It was the therapist going straight in on insisting on daily showers and telling her it was a healthy body/healthy privates issue and very important she do it daily that bugged the hell out of me.

Anonymous wrote:This is why professionals need to give a basis for their recommendations, so you can see if the premise makes sense. Daily bathing is not, for example, a medical/health necessity, but I can see where for some people (adhd, depression, etc) the recommendation is more about sticking to a routine or demonstrating ability to care for oneself. Does not sound like this was needed here though.

Thank you for this, I explained the bigger point above, but you're right, it was originally about the routine but there were other things she offered as ideas to get to sleep faster that the teen or her parents shot down, and the therapist was very flexible. But this she was like "Oh, NO, you MUST SHOWER DAILY!!!" Specifically for medical/health reasons, and that is what bugged me because I've never ever had anyone (and I used to have to train temporary care parents and adoptive parents in the basic necessities and basic practices and of course hygeine was important for both physical and emotional/mental reasons, but never was a daily shower insisted on by the experts. Daily recommended, but clean and at least a few showers/baths a week was mandatory.

Thank you and thanks everyone!

Sorry. But your therapist is right. She really should be showering daily. Perhaps her delivery if that message could be better. But you should have been telling her this all along. So I guess someone else had to.

Or you could just keep your uneducated opinions to yourself.

Please source your claim that nobody recommends daily showering. I already provided 2 links that daily showering is recommended.

Well I will choose to listen to my dermatologist (actually several of them) who have advised me that showering daily is just not necessary and could dry out my skin too much.

Showering daily is such an American thing. As usual, because it’s something you do, it just has to be right. The rest of the world doesn’t shower daily and they live long, healthy lives.

What the dermatologist recommended for YOU probably a middle aged or older woman with psoriasis, eczema, or some other chronic dry skin condition has absolutely nothing in common with OPs question. Her daughter is 15 and clearly struggling with some mental health issues- so yeah, a daily shower is a good thing, from a health and social stand point

BS! It's a purely cultural thing and has nothing to do with actual health.

Says you. But experts say otherwise:

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/child-bathing#:~:text=Tweens%20and%20teens%3A%20Guidelines%20for,to%20remove%20oil%20and%20dirt

Experts in the US perhaps. Some of us grew up differently and were fine not bathing every day.

I don't know why you think that the American way is always the best way when the overwhelming majority of the world lives differently. Their experts disagree with the US experts.

When in Rome.... People don't often like when Americans abroad complain about doing things different or a better way like they do "back home". It makes them look ignorant.

But again, that's just a matter of preference and has nothing to do with medical necessity as so many of you claim.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think what everyone is trying to say is that while it may not be “medically necessary” is is socially/culturally necessary as a teen in the US. Even if no one says anything to her, if she is routinely going 3 days without a shower, people notice. I would see this as a sign of depression, anxiety, adhd, laziness, or some other mental health issue that manifests in not caring about hygiene. This is not normal behavior for a 15 yr old girl.

[Anonymous]

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

It's also a good way to sell soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. As well as related products like deodorant, feminine hygiene spray, mouthwash, and of course perfume and cologne. I've probably missed a few. We have to make our bodies odor-free and then add artificial scents.

[Anonymous]

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.

See link above about what dermatologists recommend for teens. You are not a teen. Your personal questionable hygiene habits are irrelevant.

Oh please, plenty of other experts disagree. I question your obsessive and unnecessary showering practices as well. See we can both be judgemental bi&&&s.