Older Women May Be Hurting Their Skin With This Common Hygiene Habit

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Getting older means updating your usual routines, including your shower habits. In fact, it's highly advisable not to bathe every day, as it can actually be damaging to your mature skin.

"As we get older, our skin tends to produce less oil, and it becomes thinner as we lose collagen," Dr. Nicole Negbenebor, dermatologic surgeon at the University of Iowa Physicians, exclusively explained to Parade (via Yahoo). While you may have already adjusted your skincare routine to cater to your more mature skin, changing your shower routine is also necessary and beneficial for the health of your skin. The expert continued, saying, "[Thinner, less oily skin] makes it easier for our skin to dry out with frequent showering." And it's not just exposing your skin to water that dries it out; the type of soap you use is a major factor, as is the duration of your showers.

Although this might seem like a minor issue at first, you could face repercussions such as flaky skin and a compromised skin barrier down the line, which could then snowball into much graver problems, such as skin infections.

All that doesn't mean you should stop showering completely. Your shower routine should be amended on a case-by-case basis, especially if you feel grimy enough that a shower is necessary. Weather must also be taken into consideration, as older women who live in tropical climates might feel the need to shower more often. "Showering frequency should be determined by the amount of sweat and body odor that one produces, [as] well as the level of physical activity," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brian Toy shared with Parade.

It's highly recommended to moisturize following your shower, as to bring hydration back into the skin. A good product to reach for to combat dryness is the La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+Max Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream, which is safe enough to be used on both the face and body. But most importantly, the product is fragrance-free, making it conducive to treating dry skin. While it may be a hard change to adapt to, it'll be beneficial in the long-run.