Find out what our bodies look like after eight years without showering

Normally, we all love taking a shower, whether to clean ourselves or to enjoy rejuvenating ourselves. But what would happen if a person went without taking a shower for years?

This was the question James Hamblin, a preventive medicine physician and professor at the Yale School of Public Health (USA), asked himself. To answer it, he decided to stop showering in 2015.

Therefore, he wanted to understand the impact of minimal hygiene on skin health and general well-being. However, the professor maintained two basic hygiene habits for himself: washing his hands and brushing his teeth.

What is the experience of not showering for eight years?

• In 2020, Hamblin was interviewed by BBCHe said that the body gradually gets used to not bathing, “the person does not smell so bad” and the skin becomes less oily;
• But Hamblin didn’t stop bathing suddenly; the process was gradual. He started by cutting back on soap and shampoo and then taking showers (he took them almost every day);
• As for the smell, he asked his colleagues and friends to give their honest opinions about the unpleasant odors that were emanating from him;
• In this way, he came to the conclusion that at a certain point, the body no longer produces the unpleasant odor to which we are accustomed;
• “For most of our history, we had smells that were part of how we communicated with others,” he said. BBC.

Many people use shampoo to remove oil from their hair and then apply conditioner to add synthetic oils. If you can break this cycle, your hair will look the same as it did when you started using these products.

James Hamblin, a physician specializing in preventive medicine and professor at the Yale School of Public Health (USA), in an interview with BBC

Hamblin also points out that over time, the odor a body produces becomes its own, but it’s not necessarily bad.

There were times when I wanted to shower because I missed it, and it smelled bad and my skin felt really oily. But this started happening less and less.

James Hamblin, a physician specializing in preventive medicine and professor at the Yale School of Public Health (USA), in an interview with BBC

But anyone who thinks that the teacher has completely abandoned the cleanliness that bathing brings is mistaken. He even washes himself with water when necessary or whenever he wants, especially when his hair is dirty. According to him, “You can exfoliate or remove the oils by simply rubbing them with your hands and combing your hair from time to time.”

Hamblin also noted that “the microbes on our skin are just as important to our appearance and health as our gut microbes are to our digestive system.”

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However, the professor said that although he is a fan of the no-shower routine, he does not claim that his method is right or wrong, but rather that it has worked for him.

But for those people who have skin issues or who just want to try, I recommend bathing less often. Start slow and continue as long as you feel comfortable. You can start with shorter, less frequent, cooler baths with less soap.

James Hamblin, a physician specializing in preventive medicine and professor at the Yale School of Public Health (USA), in an interview with BBC

Regarding our skin, he pointed out that its health – our largest organ – depends on our lifestyle – how and what we eat, how we sleep, the stress we are exposed to, etc.

What about microorganisms?

Hamblin also wanted to understand how we interact with the microorganisms we come into contact with in our daily lives. BBC“The microbes on our skin are just as important to our appearance and health as the gut microbes are to our digestive system,” the professor noted.

Furthermore, according to him, when we wash our skin, we change the microbial communities, but we still don’t know whether this is a good thing or not.

It is known that the presence of microorganisms on our skin is important, as it helps the immune system by acting as a first barrier against agents that want to attack us. Recent studies show that only a minority of microorganisms are associated with disease.