Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last couple of years, you’ve probably read or heard a few things about the importance of our skin biome. It’s being compared in importance to our gut bacteria, which many researchers and scientists believe determines the strength of our immune system.
However, the rise of the skin biome has come with several unintended consequences. One is the idea that bathing too frequently or spending too much time in the shower weakens or damages the skin biome, but a recent study suggests that this might not be true at all.
This in-depth study was conducted on eczema patients
The fact that this study was conducted exclusively using eczema patients might seem like a good way to produce idiosyncratic results, but if you look at the details of the study, the struggles these people experience suggests a weaker skin biome that makes them ideal for this kind of test.
The Eczema Bathing Study was designed by people with eczema, together with researchers and healthcare professionals. Subjects were divided into two groups: Those who bathed or showered at least six times a week were classified as “daily bathing,” while those who showered or bathed once or twice a week were designated “weekly bathing.”
These people followed the same routine for four weeks, and they made no changes in their eczema routine, i.e., they used the same moisturizers and other skincare products to counter their condition. The amount of bathing is a vital variable for those struggling with eczema, and there were 438 people in the study, including both adults and children.
The results could lead to a new conclusion
The study showed conclusively that the amount of bathing made no difference in the condition of patient’s skin. Eczema symptoms were measured using a questionnaire called the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), which consists of seven questions about skin symptoms. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with the University of Nottingham and its associated hospitals listed as partners.
The results were conclusively inconclusive. Approximately 53% of the daily bathers showed improvement in their skin over four weeks, while 57% of the weekly bathers showed improvement. Random chance probably accounts for the small difference between these two numbers, so overall, they indicate that there was no difference between daily and weekly bathing.
The similarity of these numbers is especially good news for eczema patients. As one dermatologist associated with the study said, “I’ll now be telling my patients that they should do whatever suits them. There is no need to stick to a set bathing routine in the hope that it will improve the eczema.”
Does that same conclusion apply to the rest of us? This seems highly likely, but there will undoubtedly be more studies as scientists continue to study the skin biome and learn more about its makeup and importance. At this point, there are many unknowns, so expect some twists and turns as the research continues.
That research will doubtless shape the composition and marketing of skincare products like soaps and body washes. For the moment, though, it should still help some of the more outrageous claims about what these products do and how we “should” organize our bathing and showering routines.
