How Often Should You Shower?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

BARNEY KENET: Dry skin

is ubiquitous.

It's a common problem

that patients call me for all

the time.

It's sort of a combination

of too much bathing,

too much drying soap.

Other factors like age

and menopause and sun exposure

also play a role.

But really the number one driver

of dry skin in our communities

is long, hot showers, lots

of soap, and too little

moisturizer.

So the type of soap

matters a lot, in addition,

how much of it you use

and where you use it.

So bar soaps and fragrance soaps

are drying,

and I don't recommend them.

I generally like

a fragrance-free product, which,

by the way,

is different than unscented.

Unscented products have

a little bit of perfume.

Fragrance-free products are

completely free of all scent

and are, therefore, less

strong and irritating.

Your skin could be dry

because there's lack

of moisture.

But it also could be

dry from dead skin cells

on the surface.

So it's a little

counterintuitive, but some fruit

acid moisturizers containing

ingredients such as lactic acid

or urea are especially

good at taking off

the dead cells.

Once those dry, older cells are

exfoliated, you can moisturize

over the damp, remaining cells

and really feel great.

It will give your skin

a dewy feel, and it will feel

softer to the touch.

Brushes and loofahs are OK,

but they tend to collect

bacteria in the shower.

They're good for elbows, knees,

feet, but they're not

great for large body surfaces

like the back or chest.

They're a little bit harsh.

Some people just get

a little sense of dryness.

Some people get a lot

of itching.

And some people even get cracks

or fissures around their hands

and feet.

So there's a wide variety in how

dry the skin can become.

And in that regard, there's

a wide variety of products

to help treat dry skin.

And that spans the gamut

from lighter moisturizers that

are liquid at room temperature

to creams that are solid at room

temperature.

The most important feature

is that you use these products

on your damp skin

so that they'll trap a little

of that moisture

in the top layer.

Well, it can be confusing

because there are so many types

of moisturizers to choose from,

but I generally like to make it

simple.

One for the face.

One for the body.

While you're not going to get

a systemic illness

from dry skin,

although some people

with illnesses

show that with dryness.

For instance, one

of the main features

of hypothyroidism or low thyroid

is dry skin.

So that's one thing your doctor

would consider if drawing

a blood test

or during your checkup.

But the take home messages

are the same for everybody.

Not too much soap.

No fragrance.

Shorter, cooler showers.

And lots of moisturizer

on your damp skin.

And for the most part,

you're going to get some relief

immediately.