The verdict is still out on whether longer or shorter periods are most beneficial for health. While some experts argue that long hot showers help resolve various heart complications, others counter-argue that skin can become vulnerable to infection. While shower duration may vary from person to person, a sweet spot may exist, according to some health experts.
Showering is essential for avoiding poor hygiene, which “can cause discomfort, skin complaints and infections, and can lower self-esteem,” according to the NHS.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that most people’s shower time averages around eight minutes.
And according to some health experts, this allows enough time to cleanse the body efficiently without overdoing it.
In fact, board-certified dermatologist Doctor Edidiong Kaminska says the recommended maximum shower time is about five to 10 minutes.
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She told Healthline: “Our skin needs water, just like our bodies, but if we over- or under-do it, then it may have consequences.”
There are myriad health benefits to reap from taking showers, but lingering underwater could pave the way to certain vascular complications.
David Lortscher, board-certified dermatologist and CEO and founder of Curology, told Bustle: “Hot showers/baths cause vasodilation or enlargement of the capillaries (tiny blood vessels near the surface of your skin.”
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The vasodilation that comes with standing under hot water for too long – which is defined as having a temperature of above 41C – can cause a sharp dip in blood pressure.
This, in turn, could lead to dizziness and light-headedness.
Other experts argue that taking excessively long baths or showers that are too hot or cold could excessively lower a person’s body temperature.
When shower temperature decreases the breathing rate, decreased consciousness and heartbeat irregularities may occur.
Individuals with poorly controlled blood pressure are therefore advised to avoid taking long hot showers or baths.
While the consequences of long showers for vascular health are well documented, complications may also occur in the skin.
Lortshcer explained: “When you have inflamed active acne lesions or post-acne inflammatory, capillaries are always more dilated in these areas.
“Heat causes further dilation, making these areas appear even more red than your surrounding skin.
“For those with rosacea, who have a tendency to facial redness, dilated blood vessels, and acne-type bumps, reducing factors that cause facial flushing is key – that includes hot showers and baths.”
Skin hydration is ensured by cells that bind together to lock natural moisture inside the epidermis.
Prolonging shower duration could strip this protective barrier, making the skin vulnerable to irritation.
Applying a moisturiser to the skin immediately after showering, however, can help retain this moisture.
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