According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average shower lasts 8 minutes. If you like to linger in the shower for longer than 15 minutes, you might want to rethink your hygiene routine.
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Edidiong Kaminska, MD, the recommended maximum shower time is about 5 to 10 minutes. This is enough time to cleanse and hydrate the skin without overdoing it. “Our skin needs water, just like our bodies, but if we over- or under-do it, then it may have consequences,” she adds.
And if you have dry skin or eczema, Dr. Anna Guanche, MD, FAAD, says shorter, lukewarm showers are recommended. Moreover, the Baylor College of Medicine says it’s especially important to avoid hot showers in the wintery months since the heat can damage the surface of the skin, which can lead to inflammation and increase symptoms of eczema.
Side effects of long showers
While a long, hot shower might seem like the best way to pamper your body, over-showering may dehydrate the skin. “The purpose of showering is to hydrate and cleanse the skin, but warm or hot showering for prolonged periods strips away natural oils of the skin and opens up our pores and allows moisture to escape,” Kaminska says.
To keep moisture in, she usually recommends applying a body moisturizer after showering to the skin since it allows the water (hydration) to stay in the skin and not escape.