Are you wondering if there’s a “right” way to take a shower? Check out the helpful tips below:
- How often? There is no rule on how often you should shower- this depends on how active you are. If you are not very active and your skin is dry, you might decide to shower 2-3 times a week. But if you are playing sports or working out and tend to sweat a lot, you’ll likely need to shower daily. If you need to shower more than once a day (once in a while), keep your showers short.
- How long? Spending too much time in the shower isn’t good for your skin. Too much time exposed to water can cause dry skin and hair. Try to keep your shower to about 5 minutes or until you are able to lather up and rinse.
- How hot? Skin doctors actually recommend warm or cool water instead of hot water because hot water removes the natural oils on a person’s skin causing dry skin.
- How often should I wash my hair? Most people wash their hair too often. You don’t have to wash your hair every time you shower but this will depend on your hair type. If your hair tends to be oily, you may need to wash your hair more often than someone who has dry hair.
- What kind of soap or products should I use? If your skin is dry, it’s best to use a soap or body wash with moisturizer. If your skin isn’t dry, regular soap (your choice) and water is fine.
- What should I wash first? Wash from top to bottom. This will allow all the soap to rinse off your skin. Focus on the parts of your body that need it the most such as under your arms, breasts, vulva, and feet. Be sure to wash in between skin folds and between your toes. Never put soap or lather inside your vagina as this can cause irritation—your vagina cleanses itself naturally.
- If you plan to wash your hair, do that first, and then wash your body.
- If you have acne, make sure that all the shampoo and conditioner get rinsed away.
- If you like to shave your legs in the shower, do this last. The reason for this is – water softens the hair making it easier to shave however, too much exposure to hot steamy water is not advised because it can cause swelling of the hair follicles which over time can lead to ingrown hairs and irritation.
- Should I use lotion after I shower? If you use lotion, it’s best to use a moisturizer that is “fragrance-free” because added fragrances and perfumes can cause skin irritation. You can either use the “in-shower” type of moisturizer or the kind that you apply after you dry off. Dermatologists suggest applying moisturizer to your skin 2-3 minutes after showering— while your skin is still moist.
- How should I dry myself off? Gently pat yourself dry. Rubbing hard may cause irritation, dryness, and/or itchiness of your skin.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.