Celebrity Or Not, How Often Are We Really Bathing? Less Often Than You'd Think

When I was young, my mother used to give us a bath once a week. That was it. I am sure there were exceptions to the rule like, if we pooped our pants after the diaper days were gone, threw up on ourselves, or got into a can of paint but for the most part, Saturday night bath time and pizza was a big event in our house.

Then, when I was in about fifth grade, I started showing every day because I hit puberty and I wanted to have some alone time in the shower and all the magazines I was reading were flooded with messages about being clean, smooth, and smelling good.

Also, I was a kick-ass opera singer and tap dancer in the shower and I looked forward to my daily performances.

I remember some boys in my high school saying they showered two or three times a day — once before school, after practice, then again before bed.

But these days, not washing your kids seems to be a trend among celebrities. MSN reports Kristen Bell doesn’t make her kids take a bath or shower until they “stink.”

Jake Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair that he finds “bathing to be less necessary, at times.” Gyllenhaal adds,”there’s a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves.”

Okay, I’m just going to chime in here with an opinion no one asked for because I wonder what the hell kind of world he’s talking about? Like, all I can picture is Jake in the crack of a sofa cushion with one leg in the air licking his undercarriage. Like a cat.

I’m sure that’s not what he meant but that’s where my mind is going and I didn’t want to keep those thoughts to myself. You’re welcome.

Mila Kunis says she only bathes kids if she sees dirt on them, which I get. Younger kids don’t need to bathe as much I’m sure. When my three teens were young I gave them a bath maybe once a week, or every two weeks. They didn’t need it and I loved their natural scent.

Her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, said he washes his butt and armpits on the daily, but doesn’t shower every day.

But then we have the likes of actor Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock), who likes to get it under the spray three times a day.

So, how often should we be showering and am I doing damage to my skin because I love to sort out all of my problems while standing under a stream of hot water every morning?

Scary Mommy talked with ​​Dr Chris Airey, MD., the Medical Director at Optimale, who told us how often you shower really depends on how you live your life. “Depending on your lifestyle and how much you sweat, you may only need to shower two to three times a week. If you’re typically indoors, or if the the weather is generally cool and not humid, you may not have to shower every day.”

Keep in mind showering too much can damage your skin and dry it out as it “ can strip your skin of essential oils. This could cause itchy and flaky skin, and lead to skin inflammation or eczema, and get rid of the good bacteria on your skin.”

On the other hand, if you have an active lifestyle and your job is physically making you sweat, or you work out a lot and aren’t showering enough, Airey says that dirt, sweat, and dead skin cells can build up and could “trigger skin conditions such as eczema. Bad bacteria could also build up on your skin, leading to body odor and skin infections.”

So basically if you’re sweaty, get friendly with the bar of soap. You know, like Aquaman.

You can hop on the celebrity bandwagon of not bathing every day, or continue to daydream in the shower if you wish. I guess it depends on who has to smell you — and whether or not you care.