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Just to be contrarian... What if our culture of daily washing with soap contributes to our health in positive ways? If we make our bodies generally inhospitabl

Just to be contrarian... What if our culture of daily washing with soap contributes to our health in positive ways? If we make our bodies generally inhospitable to bacteria, we are probably inhospitable to many kinds of deadly bacteria as well. It might be that if we all abandon soapy showers, we'll have a new era of diseases on our hands.

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
Washing with soap disrupts the endocrine function of the skin, which doesn't fully recover for a couple days. It's not a matter of bad chemicals in the soap; stripping away the natural oils messes up synthesis of things like Vitamin D. The article didn't even touch on this and instead just talks about bacteria. Frequent use of soap is going to impair the skin's barrier function and leave you more susceptible to infection. You should really only be soaping up as needed. Personally, once a week is fine for me. I'll just rinse off as needed the rest of the week, which in winter might be once.
- hatu 12y ago
  You sound stinky
  - jonsen 12y ago
    Or maybe stinks soundly.
  - leorocky 12y ago
    The ultra-health obsessed min-maxers I have met have been socially awkward to say the least. People who are fanatical about anything to the point it causes social conflicts strike me as compulsive. Some people just seem so obsessed about a single issue that they are burden to interact with, regardless of what the issue is. There's nothing wrong with using soap every day, my grandparents have been doing it all their lives and they're healthy at their old age (90's). Plus you don't end up bothering others with your smell.
    - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
      I'm better groomed, dressed, and looking than you. I just don't gratuitously soap up.
      - leorocky 12y ago
        The problem with all of your arguments, including claims to your superior appearance, is that they're all entirely subjective. When is soap use gratuitous? When others can detect your smell that's an objective fact and if you still use enough soap so that others can't smell your armpits when they're squeezed in next to you on public transportation then I don't really have a problem with what you're doing.
- NoPiece 12y ago
  There is some evidence that triclosan, and ingredient in antibacterial liquid soaps, might be an endocrine disrupter. But a regular bars of soap don't contain triclosan, so you can soap up if you want.
  - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
    It has nothing to do with triclosan. Simple, non-toxic soaps like ivory or palmolive will still interfere with the many endocrine functions of the skin. Frequent use of lotions will do the same.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
scotty79 12y ago
> If we make our bodies generally inhospitable to bacteria, we are probably inhospitable to many kinds of deadly bacteria as well. Strongly disrupted ecosystem is probably more prone to invasive species. I'm quite surprised that we are getting away with daily washing let alone antibacterial soap. Burning meadow to the ground every few months would let only the most resilient weed to survive and flourish. I think we are just lucky that none of the bacteria that are less prone to washing away, that we allowed to flourish to unprecedented levels by washing away their competitors is not fatally harmful to us. I hope we will get to undestand this whole thing better before some of that resilient fairly harmless bacteria evolves flesh eating capabilities.
- trendoid 12y ago
  >bacteria that are less prone to washing away The only reason a bacteria will be less prone to washing away is if its useful for our skin in some way and has a symbiotic relationship with it. In which case its highly unlikely if it will turn out to be harmful in the long run. In any case, is there any evidence that we do have some skin microbiota that sticks even after good soap wash?
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - scotty79 12y ago
    > The only reason a bacteria will be less prone to washing away is if its useful for our skin in some way and has a symbiotic relationship with it. Why do you think that ability to produce glue that's resistant to soapy water might only come from some form of symbiosis with the host? > In any case, is there any evidence that we do have some skin microbiota that sticks even after good soap wash? Do you think soap producers wouldn't claim that their soap removes 100% of bacteria instead of 99,99% if it wasn't provably false? And what do you mean by good soap wash? Do you know how surgeons wash their hands? And yet they still cover those thoroughly washed hands with sterile gloves. Infection rates double if there is a hole in a glove despite the thorough washing. I think you may consider it to be evidence. http://www.quora.com/Surgery/Why-do-surgeons-wash-their-hands-meticously-before-an-operation-when-they-wear-gloves-afterwards http://www.quora.com/Surgery/Why-do-surgeons-wash-their-hand...

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago

Washing with soap disrupts the endocrine function of the skin, which doesn't fully recover for a couple days. It's not a matter of bad chemicals in the soap; stripping away the natural oils messes up synthesis of things like Vitamin D. The article didn't even touch on this and instead just talks about bacteria. Frequent use of soap is going to impair the skin's barrier function and leave you more susceptible to infection. You should really only be soaping up as needed. Personally, once a week is fine for me. I'll just rinse off as needed the rest of the week, which in winter might be once.

hatu 12y ago
You sound stinky
- jonsen 12y ago
  Or maybe stinks soundly.
- leorocky 12y ago
  The ultra-health obsessed min-maxers I have met have been socially awkward to say the least. People who are fanatical about anything to the point it causes social conflicts strike me as compulsive. Some people just seem so obsessed about a single issue that they are burden to interact with, regardless of what the issue is. There's nothing wrong with using soap every day, my grandparents have been doing it all their lives and they're healthy at their old age (90's). Plus you don't end up bothering others with your smell.
  - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
    I'm better groomed, dressed, and looking than you. I just don't gratuitously soap up.
    - leorocky 12y ago
      The problem with all of your arguments, including claims to your superior appearance, is that they're all entirely subjective. When is soap use gratuitous? When others can detect your smell that's an objective fact and if you still use enough soap so that others can't smell your armpits when they're squeezed in next to you on public transportation then I don't really have a problem with what you're doing.
NoPiece 12y ago
There is some evidence that triclosan, and ingredient in antibacterial liquid soaps, might be an endocrine disrupter. But a regular bars of soap don't contain triclosan, so you can soap up if you want.
- a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
  It has nothing to do with triclosan. Simple, non-toxic soaps like ivory or palmolive will still interfere with the many endocrine functions of the skin. Frequent use of lotions will do the same.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]

scotty79 12y ago

> If we make our bodies generally inhospitable to bacteria, we are probably inhospitable to many kinds of deadly bacteria as well. Strongly disrupted ecosystem is probably more prone to invasive species. I'm quite surprised that we are getting away with daily washing let alone antibacterial soap. Burning meadow to the ground every few months would let only the most resilient weed to survive and flourish. I think we are just lucky that none of the bacteria that are less prone to washing away, that we allowed to flourish to unprecedented levels by washing away their competitors is not fatally harmful to us. I hope we will get to undestand this whole thing better before some of that resilient fairly harmless bacteria evolves flesh eating capabilities.

trendoid 12y ago
>bacteria that are less prone to washing away The only reason a bacteria will be less prone to washing away is if its useful for our skin in some way and has a symbiotic relationship with it. In which case its highly unlikely if it will turn out to be harmful in the long run. In any case, is there any evidence that we do have some skin microbiota that sticks even after good soap wash?
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- scotty79 12y ago
  > The only reason a bacteria will be less prone to washing away is if its useful for our skin in some way and has a symbiotic relationship with it. Why do you think that ability to produce glue that's resistant to soapy water might only come from some form of symbiosis with the host? > In any case, is there any evidence that we do have some skin microbiota that sticks even after good soap wash? Do you think soap producers wouldn't claim that their soap removes 100% of bacteria instead of 99,99% if it wasn't provably false? And what do you mean by good soap wash? Do you know how surgeons wash their hands? And yet they still cover those thoroughly washed hands with sterile gloves. Infection rates double if there is a hole in a glove despite the thorough washing. I think you may consider it to be evidence. http://www.quora.com/Surgery/Why-do-surgeons-wash-their-hands-meticously-before-an-operation-when-they-wear-gloves-afterwards http://www.quora.com/Surgery/Why-do-surgeons-wash-their-hand...