Cleanliness in between showering

[perchance dreamer]

@hellytheelephant, no, the coconut oil does not stain my clothes. You don't need to slather it on. Just a thin film works fine.

@Mary, that's a good idea to use baking soda for face exfoliating. It seems like the fine texture would be ideal.

 

[Bevrl55]

Showering is one of the hardest things on me and right now I am about once a week (which feels gross and the smell aint great!)

I recommend you to take bath every day because it avoids your body from many diseases. Bathing can
reduce the muscle tension and contraction
Improves blood circulation and reduces the pressure
Improves the heart and lungs function
Removes stress and keep your in a relaxed state
If you are really tired and unable to have a bath then you can use the bath and shower accessories like shower seat as mentioned by PennyIA. Or hire a caregiver, they definitely will take care of you. Better you never skip the bath.

Good ideas here, has anyone tried dry shampoo for the hair? Is it too toxic?

Better you check your scalp condition. It might not be good for everyone. I have used it for a couple of times. Sometimes it causes hair loss. Better get advice from a dermatologist.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

I recommend you to take bath every day because it avoids your body from many diseases. Bathing can
reduce the muscle tension and contraction
Improves blood circulation and reduces the pressure
Improves the heart and lungs function
Removes stress and keep your in a relaxed state
If you are really tired and unable to have a bath then you can use the bath and shower accessories like shower seat as mentioned by PennyIA. Or hire a caregiver, they definitely will take care of you. Better you never skip the bath.

Better you check your scalp condition. It might not be good for everyone. I have used it for a couple of times. Sometimes it causes hair loss. Better get advice from a dermatologist.

Unless you are sweating every day, there are some benefits to showering just a few times a week. For many of us, the ordeal of simply being upright and moving about is enough to bring on exhaustion.

http://www.med-health.net/How-Often-Should-You-Shower.html

• 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. The exceptions to this rule are people who commute in the subway or other crowded spaces, go to the gym daily or are in contact with potentially sick people (such as those coughing, sneezing or sniffling during the flu season).
• In most cases you only need to shower twice out of each three days and some people can do so just every other day. When you avoid showering daily, your skin is better able to maintain its balance, making it radiant and healthy. The important thing is to remember to use a wash cloth on any specific areas that need daily attention for hygienic or smell-related reasons. If you feel the need to wash your hair every day, there is no problem with this. [....]

Why Should You Not Shower Too Often?
1. Make the Skin Softer
Your skin receives its hydration from two main sources. It attracts moisture that is in the air and it also gets hydration from the beneficial oils and water found within your body. It is important to keep in mind that when the air outside gets dryer, your skin will as well as there is less moisture for it to attract. Some people decide to use a lot of moisturizer to solve the problem but a better option can be showering less often. That is because when you use hot water (which most people do, especially in cooler months), it will soften your skin’s oils, making it easier for them to wash away and therefore dry out your skin. This means that ideally you should shower less frequently and opt for a nontoxic soap in the locations you need it.
[.....]
3. Preserve Helpful Bacteria
Most people realize that our stomachs need good bacteria to function but not everyone realizes that this is true of the skin cells as well. The New York Times had an article in which Dr. Richard Gallo who is the dermatology chief at the University of California pointed out that good bacteria in the skin cell help these cells learn how to produce their own antibiotics that can help protect us from bad bacteria. Body lotion and most soaps don’t provide this benefit; only showering less frequently does.

4. Protect from Harmful Chemicals
You may be surprised to learn that having oils and dead skin cells on your skin is actually beneficial. These elements provide a kind of protection from harmful bacteria. They also make it more difficult for certain chemicals to penetrate the skin. This is crucial as these chemicals can damage the skin and in some cases other parts of the body as well. When you shower, you remove these oils and dead skin cells from your skin and in the process make it easier for chemicals to get in. this is even worse if you are using harsh soaps or body washes that contain chemicals. Because of this, experts suggest always selecting a nontoxic soap with a minimal number of ingredients and only using it when necessary and in the locations that truly need it.

I don't shower. I bathe. I feel cleaner this way and it does help stiff muscles in my legs to relax. I finish by standing up and rinsing with a shower of clean water, which takes less than a minute.

After having thought about it for some time, I recently cut off my shoulder-length hair and shaved it all off. I don't get out much any way, so I don't really care about anyone's reaction to seeing me. I'm glad I did it because the energy required to shampoo, rinse, condition, rinse, add product, blow dry, etc. was really taxing me.

 

[Basilico]

I stopped using antiperspirant years ago to avoid the aluminum exposure. But, I get super stinky almost immediately, and living in Florida makes it extra hard. I have found that the thing that works the best for me is to wet my armpits with a little water and dab on some baking soda (like some others do). This works amazingly well for stinky underarm BO. I used to use isopropyl alcohol, but that's not really the best thing to repeatedly apply to skin, plus it didn't work that well - the stinkyness would return in a couple of hours, whereas the baking soda keeps it away the whole day.

BTW, for anyone who is confused, baking soda does not contain any aluminum. This is only a potential issue with some brands of baking powder.

I switched to a no shampoo routine a few years ago, but I later decided that I occasionally needed to shampoo or my hair would end up getting too greasy. So, I shampoo 1x/week, and in between, I just do a quick rinse in the shower with plain water. Doing this has made my hair much less greasy over time (I think my oil production down regulated) so I can go longer without needing to shampoo it. I use to have to shampoo every single day.



I have sometimes used dry shampoo, which I really like for the convenience. However, some caveats with that:

1) It's best to use it outside (I step onto my deck) and hold your breath so that you don't breathe it in. The reason I try to avoid using it indoors is that it coats surfaces with a fine film that requires extra cleaning. I hate cleaning the bathroom (and rarely have enough energy to do it as often as I should), so I always try to avoid making it worse than it already is.

2) The regular version works well for me, but I got one of the same brand but mildly tinted light brown, and it makes my scalp itch a lot - so I end up needing to wash it out soon anyway. Not much of a time/energy saver.

In a pinch, I use baby wipes or just a washcloth with water.

Coconut oil to remove any make up (if I'm wearing it that day). About once a week I do a quick facial scrub with honey and a touch of milk. Does an excellent job exfoliating.

 

[hellytheelephant]

Am developing a 'Quasi-hairwash' as I hate the smell of my hair when it's over a week without a wash...and just don't want to put product/dry shampoo on.

This is what I've tried: You need a plastic bottle with a trigger spray like you get for spraying houseplants. Fill this with a v dilute mix of warm water and a little shampoo ( I use an organic baby shampoo). Wrap shoulders with a big towel and spray the hair until it's dripping. Then wrap hair in turban and rest until you are ready to open the turban- I usually splay my hair across a towel that covers the pillow.

It kept my hair going for an extra 3 days and it did bring it back to life.

 

[antherder]

Apple cider vinegar mixed with water is a good anti-bacterial to use with a cloth, and doesn't need rinsing like soap. I use about half and half - just be sure to patch test it first to see if your skin approves of that ratio.

I know ACV doesn't agree with everyone (it's too hard on my stomach for me to drink) but I had a contaminated water supply and no hot water for a couple of months once and it was a lifesaver.

(Apologies if this has already been suggested.)

 

[Cinders66]

There's special bedbath wipes available which are much better than baby wipes
There's also anti bacterial ones available etc which can be good if you feel especially dirty.

Not washing properly is horrible. I only have bedbaths.

 

[IreneF]

I use a personal hygiene spray. I got it when my son had foot surgery. It's rather drippy and has artificial coloring and fragrance which I feel is completely unnecessary. Before that I used cetaphil or something similar. Neither of these require rinsing, but I do it anyway.

 

[Groggy Doggy]

To get rid of the stinky bacteria smell I highly recommend Hibiclens
You won't like reading the ingredient list, but if used for only one shower a week, it works wonders. Surgeons use it to scrub the bacteria away.

Next best product I recommend is phisoderm. My entire family uses it. It's almost as good as Hibiclens.

I tried all the natural stuff, to get of the deep grimey smell, and it just didn't work. I have very sensitive skin and both products did not cause a skin reaction.

For more frequent showers I love Dr. Bronner's Baby Unscented Liquid Castille Soap. I purchase it at Whole Foods.

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

I used to have horrific smelling BO after getting ill, you could literally smell the toxins coming out of me, my sweat would also bleach my clothes and occassionally it would be pink in the early days.

My finger tips often smudge the print in magazines too, i can literally smear the words down the page after holding a page for about 5 seconds.

I wouldn't recommend this because of the aluminium but I use Perspi Guard maximum strength, its one of the best things i've ever bought. Itches when first applied but I can go a whole week when very ill without bathing, and don't sweat at all. It was a miracle find for me.

 

[Valentijn]

I use a personal hygiene spray. I got it when my son had foot surgery. It's rather drippy and has artificial coloring and fragrance which I feel is completely unnecessary. Before that I used cetaphil or something similar. Neither of these require rinsing, but I do it anyway.

For a mild natural spray, rose water is great.

 

[Starlight]

I find showering and hair washing so difficult too. I often have to make alternative arrangements so to speak, that's baby wipes, washing with a flannel and for hair often just accepting it'll be plastered to my head with grease way more often than I'd like. Not the sexiest option but nothing I can do about it.

Somethings I've found can help though apart from the above are the below...

I got a gift of a hydrocotton bathrobe from The White Company, which is awfully expensive, 60 pounds, but it's honestly worth it and fantastic. Mine is the biggest size they have so it wraps arounde twice. It gets me dry pretty much immediately. I put it on, collapse into my bed, 5 min later and absolutely zero effort I am completely dry. It's super magically absorbant.
http://www.thewhitecompany.com/Hydrocotton-Unisex-Hooded-Robe/p/LHCHR?swatch=White that is it but there's often 20 pounds of in sales. I was very lucky that I got it as a gift.

I got a hydrocotton /hygrocotton towel from tesco to that's made from the exact same material and was only 6 pounds but it's just as good as the white company. I wrap it around my hair and leave it there for an hr or two and I only need a very quick blast of the hairdryer to be fully dry as opposed to needing an 20 mins usually.

Also if you have someone to help you No Wash Shampoos are great. The ones I've used pour in your head like water and you run your wet head with a towel and your hair will really look fresh and washed after its dry. It's great for times you can't shower and do your hair at the same time or if you get faint in the shower you can do it sitting in your bed clothed. Takes a bit of energy to rub your head with the towel to get clean though so if you have someone to help for five mins it would be brilliant. There's also no smell. There are lots of types of you search.
My one is here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nilaqua-No-Rinse-Shampoo-Bottle/dp/B0117A5TC0/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1496683321&sr=8-1&keywords=no wash shampoo

 

[EtherSpin]

anybody have mass exfoliation tips ? when I do get around to a shower I will be relieved its over and almost ready to go get horizontal for recovery and then i'll rub the towel across my back/arms/leg/forehead and little rolled up bits of skin come off water combined with friction on the otherwise undisturbed skin. I know about things like face washes but anything that makes it easier to have all body exfoliation that isn't as exhausting as a shower itself?
I've probably joked somewhere here before that we need a facility akin to a gentler car wash!

If I had a chance to design my house again I would change so much now, the showers were standard 2010 stuff (small!) and if I put a shower chair in there then I virtually cannot move as a ~6ft big build guy.
I envy the setup my now departed Gran had, big lino floor bathroom with shower but no walls around it, slightly sloped floor to drain water and heat lamp to help you get dry fast, big tough railing on the wall to hold onto.

 

[Paralee]

@EtherSpin, there's a bottled soap/expolient that can help with that. Also maybe using it with an ?? (I called them ooflas, I don't know what they're really called, maybe someone else knows).

I don't know who sells it now, I used to sell Mary Kay and we had that as a product. I know exactly what you mean, if I ever remember to get/find some, I'll hopefully get it in the shower at the same time I do. Good luck.

 

[JohnCB]

I called them ooflas, I don't know what they're really called, maybe someone else knows

Perhaps you are thinkinf of a loofah? They used to be common in English bathrooms when I was little.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luffa

 

[Paralee]

@JohnCB, yes, I think that's what they are. They call them something else, now, and I can't remember the name, but they exfoliate without being rough about it.

 

[EtherSpin]

@EtherSpin, there's a bottled soap/expolient that can help with that. Also maybe using it with an ?? (I called them ooflas, I don't know what they're really called, maybe someone else knows).

I don't know who sells it now, I used to sell Mary Kay and we had that as a product. I know exactly what you mean, if I ever remember to get/find some, I'll hopefully get it in the shower at the same time I do. Good luck.

thank you, I did get an apricot soap with hard gritty bits of kernel in it with my last supplement order and thats working on the rare times I make it to the shower but I'll look for the bottled soap too

 

[otterjack]

thank you, I did get an apricot soap with hard gritty bits of kernel in it with my last supplement order and thats working on the rare times I make it to the shower but I'll look for the bottled soap too

You can get an effective exfoliation effect by using a very rough face cloth. Don't know what you use at the moment to wash - sponge, face cloth? - but if you had the energy, just giving yourself a good going over with a very rough cloth can really help shift old skin.

Also, you can buy loofah mitts. They are rough mittens that fit on your hand and you just sweep your hand over your body as you would anyway and lo! exfoliation occurs....

Hope you find something that works!

 

[EtherSpin]

You can get an effective exfoliation effect by using a very rough face cloth. Don't know what you use at the moment to wash - sponge, face cloth? - but if you had the energy, just giving yourself a good going over with a very rough cloth can really help shift old skin.

Also, you can buy loofah mitts. They are rough mittens that fit on your hand and you just sweep your hand over your body as you would anyway and lo! exfoliation occurs....

Hope you find something that works!

I think its a frequency issue. I flannel wash the important stuff every second day by standing on a bath mat and using minimal soap then warm water. no exfoliation occurs from that then about every 3 weeks I do an actual shower and am not nice to be around for 12 hours or even the next day cause of the panic from resulting heart rate and slow brain not keeping up with the world! for this reason there is SO much exfoliation to do but I am going to look for those mitts now you mention it
actually here are some results https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...iating+g.TRS0&_nkw=exfoliating+glove&_sacat=0

I'll get some and see how close they get to the abrasiveness of pumice stones

 

[otterjack]

I think its a frequency issue. I flannel wash the important stuff every second day by standing on a bath mat and using minimal soap then warm water. no exfoliation occurs from that then about every 3 weeks I do an actual shower and am not nice to be around for 12 hours or even the next day cause of the panic from resulting heart rate and slow brain not keeping up with the world! for this reason there is SO much exfoliation to do but I am going to look for those mitts now you mention it
actually here are some results https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311.R1.TR4.TRC2.A0.H0.Xexfoliating g.TRS0&_nkw=exfoliating glove&_sacat=0

I'll get some and see how close they get to the abrasiveness of pumice stones

Actually, I remember when I used to be unable to bathe that often ( I had baths back then) and when I finally did have one, the water always looked dreadful afterwards; like several coal miners had been for a group plunge And the tide lines around the bath afterwards were something to behold...

So, yes, I understand about the frequency issue. There's going to be a good solid build up of skin there

Hope the mitts work out. If not, you could always try wearing rough clothing...exfoliation as you lie/sit/sleep