What Can Happen to Your Body If You Start Showering Without Soap

We’re used to thinking that good skincare means having squeaky clean skin. However, lathering up your body from head to toe with soap may do more harm than good for your health and your looks. While the soap surely smells good, it’s far from being beneficial for your skin.

We at Bright Side decided to find out whether just water is enough to rinse away dirt and what happens when you decide to stop using soap.

1. Your skin will feel healthier.

Bathing with only water will balance out the protective layer of your skin. While soap effectively removes dirt from your body, it also cleanses off the natural oils secreted by your skin. Using soap regularly may also upset the pH balance of your skin, leaving it dry and irritated.

2. You won’t experience body odor.

While showering with soap will make you smell fresh short-term, it essentially makes your skin more vulnerable to bacteria. The harsh ingredients in soap disrupt the balance between skin oils and bacteria that live on our skin, which causes the skin to produce even more oil and bacteria. Antibacterial soaps are especially harmful as they kill the beneficial microbes along with the bad ones.

3. It’ll keep your private parts healthy.

Bathing with soap regularly can dry out the genital area which could lead to certain health conditions. It’s best to use warm water to wash your private parts, or hot water when you need to remove odors.

4. Your skin may stay wrinkle-free for longer.

While many ingredients found in soap are meant to leave your skin clean and fresh, they can actually cause more harm than good. In fact, they can damage your skin’s acid mantle, which in turn can worsen many skin conditions, like acne and dermatitis. Bathing with soap dries out your skin, which can lead to wrinkles.

5. It might reduce your chances of developing vitamin D deficiency.

In addition to contributing to premature skin aging, soaps can also interfere with vitamin D absorption. Our skin converts the sun’s energy into vitamin D, and some healthcare specialists recommend showering less often, as it may disrupt the skin balance and wash off some of the vitamin D. However, many in the medical community believe that vitamin D remains in the skin even after a shower.

Bonus: What you can use instead of soap

• Cleansing oils. Oil-based cleansers are a healthier alternative to soaps. They remove dirt and dead skin cells from the skin without disrupting its oil barrier.
• Dry brushing. Using dry brush exfoliates your skin and speeds up its renewal process, making it look young and fresh.
• All-natural scrubs. You can make your own mix using ingredients right from your pantry. For example, a combination of oatmeal, honey, and sugar will exfoliate and cleanse your skin without damaging it.

Do you shower with or without soap? Have you ever thought of ditching the soap?