James Hamblin drastically reduced his body cleanliness and began washing only his hands with soap
A doctor and professor at the Yale University School of Public Health in the United States conducted a somewhat unusual experiment: stopping showering. In 2015, James Hamblin aimed to study the effects of minimal hygiene on skin health and general well-being. The information comes from The Time.
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“You get used to it. I feel normal,” he says. The preventive medicine specialist wanted to understand how modern hygiene practices affect our health, as well as challenge social norms.
At age 40, Hamblin drastically reduced his body cleansing and began washing his hands only with soap. The goal of the experiment was for the body to reach a natural balance, with the oils and microbes already present on the skin.
During this time, she realized that by minimizing the use of harsh products like strong soaps, natural oil production was regulated and a more stable and healthy microbial environment was maintained. This is reported in her book Clean: The New Science of Skin and the Beauty of Doing Less [Limpo: a nova ciência da pele e a beleza de fazer menos, em tradução livre]published in 2020.
The state of equilibrium, according to the doctor, is reached when the skin microbiome can thrive without chemical disruptions, such as when using detergents.
Hamblin argues that body odor does not necessarily mean that there is a subject, but rather a microbial imbalance, since the bad smell is produced by bacteria that feed on the oily secretions coming from the sweat and sebaceous glands. Therefore, when we use hygiene products, we alter the balance of these microbes, which ends up favoring the appearance of unpleasant odors.
The whole process of stopping showering was gradual: she began spacing out her showers and reducing her use of soap and other personal hygiene products. Soon her body began to adapt, which meant that odor and discomfort were minimized.
“There were times when I wanted to take a shower because I missed it, it smelled bad and I felt greasy. But that started to happen less and less,” she said.
She also rinsed when she felt it was necessary. “You can exfoliate or remove oils just by rubbing with your hands and combing your hair every now and then,” she explained. She also maintained a regular oral hygiene routine.
“The microbes on our skin are as important to our appearance and health as the gut microbiota is to our digestive system,” she stressed.
The habit of bathing regularly was more common among royals, according to the doctor, so until recently most people did not have access to running water. With the advancement of technology, it has been possible to better understand the skin microbiome, suggesting that not all microbes are harmful to our health.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
