If you’re someone who would do anything to avoid showering and the repetitive, tedious and time-consuming pattern behind the process, you might just be in luck. Recent studies are defying conventional hygiene routines that are blindly followed by most in society as they claim showering isn’t even necessary. These revelations came into the public scope more than ever before, after scientist David Whitlock announced that he hadn’t showered in the past 12 years.
When asked, the average person would probably agree that showering is generally seen as a necessity. It wouldn’t be surprising if people even admitted hat this ever so relaxing activity was their favourite part of the day. After all, the consumerist world we live under tends to constantly advertise ‘soothing’ bath bombs, ‘detoxing’ shower gels, and even ‘energising’ body scrubs.
Of course, having to actually get into the shower can be an internal battle within itself, especially for women with long hair. They don’t only need to anticipate the cold before and after the process, but they’re also fully aware of how much time it takes for their hair to dry afterwards. Most of us know that washing our hair daily can do more harm than good, yet why don’t we apply that logic to our bodies?
Boston dermatologist, Dr. Ranella Hirsch claims that most of us tend to over-bathe, mostly because we’re conforming to societal norms that are maintained through advertising. Showering too often has proven to dry out our skin and wash away the good bacteria that lie on our bodies.
Similarly, scientist David Whitlock agrees that our natural bacteria should be preserved, however he takes this to a more extreme level, as he sprays himself with bacteria: ammonia- oxidizing bacteria (AOB). This controversial decision was triggered from when his girlfriend asked why horses rolled around in mud.
As a result, Whitlock was intrigued about the power of microorganisms that live inside the earth, such as the soil, and the ocean. The scientist discovered that animals tend to roll around in the soil to ensure they get enough bacteria on their bodies, which would therefore prevent sweat from having a bad odour in the hot seasons. Apparently human sweat works in exactly the same way; the bad odour that that’s derived form the breakdown of ammonia can be neutralised by the presence of AOB.
This unconventional practice of spraying bacteria onto ones body becomes more gruesome when he explained where the bacteria were sourced. Whitlock picks up soil from the pigsty, cowshed, and chicken coop at a local organic farm, in order to develop his AOB spray. Despite expected skepticism about Whitlock’s form of hygiene, he ensures users that the method’s benefits include softer skin, and a smoother complexion.
Nevertheless, his form of hygiene does consist of a few mainstream practices. Before touching food, and after going to the toilet, Whitlock makes sure to wash his hands with soap. Also, for societal expectations, he claims to even uses a refreshing cosmetic mist.
It seems like the perfect solution has been found for lazy washers who avoid showering, yet expect glowing and smooth skin. The bacteria containing spray has been on sale for the past two years, and immediately went out of stock as soon as it was marketed. What we should be asking ourselves here is, has the general public actually believe in the power of ‘good bacteria,’ or has our generation become so lazy, that we jump at any opportunity that gives us an alternative to getting off the couch.