That less hygiene is bad, everyone already knows. But what about too much hygiene? Videos that come and go viral on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, on the subject, warn that taking too many baths and using too many products – with bactericidal action or perfume, for example – is harmful. When in doubt, we went after doctors from the most diverse specialties to see what is true and what is a lie among everything they go around talking about. What did we discover? That there is, yes, the right way to practice daily personal hygiene habits, such as showering, brushing your teeth and even wiping your bottom.
In one of the viral videos, a European woman astonishes a Latin American man by telling him that she takes a shower “at least once a week”. In the sequence, she still justifies herself: “But I use deodorant and perfume and, as it is summer, I go to the beach”. In the comments, Spaniards and Portuguese defend themselves, claiming that they take a shower a day and that Europe does not have the same climate and culture. Brazilians, unsurprisingly, seem shocked: “Brazilians who shower before and after going to the beach are horrified watching this video,” reads one of the comments.
2021 numbers from Procter&Gamble, the American giant that owns brands like Pampers and Oral B, prove that Brazilians are well above the global average in the frequency of hygiene habits, taking a shower 8.5 times a week. According to the book Passing clean: History of personal hygiene in Brazil, by journalist Eduardo Bueno, the legacy comes from indigenous peoples. Everyone shaved, cut and washed their hair and took frequent showers, while the Portuguese did not. For those who want to go deeper into the subject, in the book “The Clean and the Dirty”, Georges Vigarello explains that the history of bodily cleanliness is a social history.
What is the ideal frequency of bathing?
Dermatologists warn that one bath a day is enough and excess water and soap in contact with the skin can be harmful, removing natural hydration. Dermatologist Fabiane Mulinari Brenner, from the Brazilian Society of Dermatology (SBD), explains that the same goes for hot water and, therefore, the baths, which should last about five minutes, need to be with warm or cold water so as not to worsen or provoke skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
For lovers of bushings and sponges, bad news. “They can dry out and attack the skin, also removing the natural oiliness and can cause wounds and open doors for infections”, says Fabiane. Soaps don’t come out unscathed. “They should have a neutral or slightly aggressive pH and no antibacterials because they can eliminate bacteria that are beneficial to the body.”
At this point you, who have long hair, must be wondering what is the ideal frequency for washing. According to the dermatologist, two to three times a week, but the need for washing should be guided by the oiliness of the scalp. The alert goes to the importance of moisturizing the length and ends of the hair, which can become dry.
Student Katharina Santos, 25, went through this at the time when she washed her hair more than once a day and took up to seven showers in just one afternoon. She explains that she sees baths as times of relaxation and anxiety relief and that she sought treatment when she realized there was a problem. “Nowadays I am a person who likes to shower, but in a controlled way. I take two to three showers a day, depending on my routine”, adds Katharina.
How to properly sanitize intimate parts?
In another viral video on TikTok, pelvic physio Camila Gutz walks you through how to clean your butt. That’s right. She recommends that people spread their buttocks apart during the shower to be able to clean the area around the anus and she’s not wrong.
The proctologist at the Mater Dei Hospital, Manuela Liger, says that poor hygiene at the site allows feces to remain in the region, which can cause itching, change the microbiota, increase bacterial proliferation and favor infections, in addition to the bad smell. Cleaning can be done with ordinary soap and water, without the need for specific products. For women, it is important to clean from front to back, so as not to take contamination to the vagina.
It is also important to clean yourself properly after defecating. Perhaps you have already come across news about the fact that the former BBB Ana Clara does not use toilet paper to clean the feces. Well, she is correct! “After evacuation, the right thing is to wash with soap and water. Toilet paper causes friction, can irritate the anus region, cause wounds and itching, in addition to not performing a complete cleaning, leaving some residues of feces”, explains Manuela.
To clean yourself after peeing, gynecologist Paula Matos Oliveira, professor of Gynecology at the Bahiana School of Medicine and Federal University of Bahia, warns: “The ideal way is using water and properly drying the vulva, but the person can clean the genital area after urinating using toilet paper. For this, light compressions must be made with the paper in the humid area, and friction must not be done to avoid injuries, fissures and irritations. The wet tissue can be an alternative when the woman is away from home. Excessive use can promote skin sensitivity due to the substances they contain”, he points out.
During the bath, care continues. “The vulva should be washed with water, using your fingers to wash it well, paying attention to the ‘little slugs’ that can accumulate smegma. It is not necessary to clean the vagina and it is worth remembering that the use of intimate soap is not recommended, because it changes the pH of the vagina and ends up causing an imbalance in the flora, resulting in candidiasis or vaginosis, for example”, says gynecologist Ilser Martinez , coordinator of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Mater Dei Hospital.
As for penises, urologist Ubirajara Barroso, professor and researcher at the Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, explains that after urinating, it is necessary to “open the foreskin and milk the urethra. Such care prevents the penis from becoming wet, which causes a bad smell and predisposes to the growth of fungi and local irritation due to urinary acidity”, he says. When bathing, it is important to clean carefully with water and neutral soap.
“Washing the penis while bathing at least twice a day, or when there is an accumulation of secretions, is essential. Inadequate hygiene can lead to accumulation of smegma, which not only predisposes to infections, but also to the risk of cancer”, highlights the urologist.
Cotton swab: can or can’t?
According to Luis Henrique Barbosa, otorhinolaryngologist at AMO, a clinic at Rede Dasa, the ears are self-cleaning and the wax, as it is a protection factor, should not be removed. “It is enough for the individual to be hydrated so that the earwax does not dry out. The flexible rods either pull all the earwax out of the ear canal, leaving it open to infection and itchiness, or they push all the earwax closer to the eardrum, leading to decreased hearing,” he explains.
As for the nose, Barbosa says that it is important to carry out a wash to remove crusts and mucus from the nasal cavities to prevent infections of the airways and nasal obstruction. “There are several ways to carry out nasal washing, several types of devices, with different amounts and pressure. The important thing is that it is performed with physiological saline solution (0.9% saline solution) at room temperature. The frequency will depend on the routine, but when there is some type of infection or allergy, it should be performed several times a day”, he highlights.
Is there a right way to brush your teeth?
Dentist Cristiano Goes, adviser to the Bahia Regional Council of Dentistry (CRO-BA), says that it is necessary to take some precautions during brushing. He recommends a method called a “roller”, which consists of rotating movements, from the gum to the tooth, with the bristles at 45 degrees in relation to the faces of the tooth, with the exception of the upper part. On this surface, a back and forth motion is recommended. According to Goes, brushing should last between two and three minutes, with soft brushes, and no part of the mouth should be forgotten, especially the tongue.
Brushing should be done three times a day and more than that can be harmful. “Excessive brushing can both wear down tooth structures through erosion and cause wounds in the mucosa,” he says. The dentist also recommends the use of dental floss before every brushing and says that the mouthwash can help improve breath, but does not remove all the bacterial plaque.
