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Commercial soapmaking in the American colonies began in 1608 with the arrival of several soapmakers on the second ship from England to reach Jamestown, VA. However, for many years, soapmaking stayed essentially a household chore.
I thought soap was in use 200 years ago, but it was made differently? The soap used back then wasn't filled with the fragrances we use today, or the anti-bacterial stuff that is the true cause of skin issues. If it's the use of chemicals causing health problems, then people should eliminate those from their hygiene regimen. There's also a lot of cleansers which are gentler and don't disrupt the hydro-lipid barrier protecting skin (which could be the acid mantle or part of it; today is the first time I've ever heard of it).
Is it a bad thing to shower because of societal expectation? I would think it would be a better decision to reduce or eliminate cleansers with harsh chemicals, than to reduce bathing.
Soap was in use before 200 years ago, depends on what culture you are speaking of. As you stated different cultures used different things. Romans used olive oil, Germens used soap, Greeks used clay, so on etc.
Interesting note, Minnesota just banned anti-bacterial soap.
The idea of washing is different as well. Some light scrubbing is okay, but add enough friction and you will still destroy the protective barrier (washcloth etc.).
The amount of which one showers will depend on several things, such as physical activity etc. But as was made clear earlier, it isn't necessary.
Some people shower because it wakes them up, some shower because it warms them up in colder months. It really depends, but if you want to talk skin health then the discussion turns to less is more. Allowing your skin to build the barrier and sustain it is the goal. If you take a quick rinse in water everyday then you will be okay, no barrier compromised. If you walk into hot water every day (1-2 times), rub on chemicals and use your hands or scrubbers to wash yourself then it will do nothing but remove those layers, causing irritation and dry flaky dull skin.
Commercial soapmaking in the American colonies began in 1608 with the arrival of several soapmakers on the second ship from England to reach Jamestown, VA. However, for many years, soapmaking stayed essentially a household chore.
It was made from Soda Ash.
That's all well and dandy, but you have to remember that most Americans up until the 1950s only used shampoo very rarely. It was a treat for the women in the household to go down to the spa and get a hair cut and shampoo. I've read the average was once a month shampooing. It definitely was not a daily ritual. Aside from all the skincare products.
I mean think about it.
Your skin naturally produces a defense for bacteria, and oil to hydrate. Yet corporations want you to wipe it all away, irritate and damage your own skin and then slather synthetic moisturizer on top all at your own cost. I can't recall the study, but there was a study conducted on some pacific island nation where a doctor went around looking for signs of skin problems. Of the 152 households he found zero incidents of skin issues, that means no eczema, no dermatitis, no acne, etc. Do you think these people followed daily showering rituals?
I occasionally skip a day of showering if I'm not going anywhere or doing anything. But even then I notice body odor by the end of the day and am generally itchy. I shower for a couple reasons A) to clean my skin of dirt, makeup, etc. and remove body odor B) to clean my scalp and hair of product so I can re-style it C) to soothe my skin.
I don't know who thinks building up a "natural barrier" is a wonderful thing but when you have skin issues the best thing is often H2O. Not super hot water, that can be damaging, but water is soothing. And not brushing teeth for any reason is just gross.
When I was young I lived for a while in a boarding house in a major city here on the East Coast. Most of the people living there worked and a few of us went to school every day. The routine for most people there was a brief towel washing during the weekdays, and a shower on the weekend. Every floor in the boarding house had its own bathroom, and on weekends those bathrooms could get rather busy. We never used to hear about 'people smelling bad' back then as much as we do nowadays... just read some of the comments posted on this thread. Deodorants were also used, but there wasn't the huge amount of commercialization for products as in more recent years. I think the advertising industry has done a good job conditioning people to think that they need to be 'disinfected' continuously or their world will soon come to an end or something.
Check out this article and see why too much does not mean better for you. Here are a few highlights from it:
Experts tend to agree that most people should avoid showering too frequently and in fact, if they reduce the frequency it can be an incredibly healthy decision for their skin.
If you think you're starting to stink, or notice people getting close, then backing away, then you're overdue and need to wash yourself.
If you are actually *dirty* - as in, you were out gardening while wearing a tank-top and shorts, were sweating up a storm, and have dirt from the garden and a nice thin layer of pesticide spray covering your body - then you need to wash yourself.
If you were sweating a lot, and your skin is starting to itch - it's time to wash.
If it's a really hot day and you don't have AC or a pool - nothing is more refreshing than a nice cold shower. You don't even need soap.
Well...
Y'all realize, showering is quite a cultural thing? There are peoples that consider water sacred, and never use it for hygiene purposes.
In India, water is not as much to keep body clean, as to rinse off bad whatever.
Talk to desert peoples. How often to they waste water on showering or bathing?
Talk to desert expeditions. Dirt simply peels off by itself in roughly 35 days, along with naturally dying away epidermis.
We lived in a city with rationed water. Didn't even have sink. Everyone had body odor and I didn't brush teeth for 7 years, simply was technically hard to do. I am 59 and lost only 2 wisdom teeth so far. Life length back in same country was about same as in showering 3 times a day USA.
Maybe, it is really not a necessity, but more of cosmetics industry pressure, as it's good business, you know?
Also, think how much chemical enter your circulation with water via pores in skin.
I've lived in some of those countries. People smell like hell and sicknesses do abound. People are simply accustomed to not feeling well much of the time and live with the facts of higher infant and child mortality. I've gone through the routine of having only one well available of potable water and making the "water stop" every day or so with 10-gallon jugs to get drinking water. I've been through the routine of having to wash in cold water that I didn't dare drink or allow into my eyes.
The very simple truth in the US is that the sudden increase of lifespans in the early 20th century was not a result of vaccines or any huge medical science breakthroughs. It was the result of soap companies sponsoring radio dramas that convinced housewives to keep their homes and children clean.
I'm in my sixties, brush and floss daily, and I haven't lost any teeth nor do my gums bleed when my teeth are cleaned. I live in Texas, exercise vigorously nearly every day, and I shower every day, cool water (to cool my core temp down anyway).
Last edited by Ralph_Kirk; 06-09-2014 at 06:48 AM..
If you think you're starting to stink, or notice people getting close, then backing away, then you're overdue and need to wash yourself.
If you are actually *dirty* - as in, you were out gardening while wearing a tank-top and shorts, were sweating up a storm, and have dirt from the garden and a nice thin layer of pesticide spray covering your body - then you need to wash yourself.
If you were sweating a lot, and your skin is starting to itch - it's time to wash.
If it's a really hot day and you don't have AC or a pool - nothing is more refreshing than a nice cold shower. You don't even need soap.
I agree with this 100%. ^^^
I think the general problem is that we have been conditioned in our society to hear this little message in our heads every day that says, "I've got to take my shower today or I'm going to be stinky."
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