Doctors Never Use Them: "Full of Bacteria and Mold"
Alternatives: Cotton Towels and Silicone Scrubbers
Experts Also Advise Against Use
The "shower towel" (including shower loofahs, shower nets, and shower balls), considered an essential item for showering, has been warned by experts as a possible cause of skin infections. An American family medicine specialist pointed out that when a shower towel is left wet, it easily becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and mold, and cited it as the most important bathroom habit to avoid in daily life.
Doctors Never Use Them... "Full of Bacteria and Mold"
According to the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom on August 24 (local time), Dr. Sasha Hadad, an American family medicine physician with 1.2 million TikTok followers, recently posted a video on her social media account titled "Shower Habits I Never Do." In this video, she identified the "shower towel" as the bathroom item to avoid the most.
Dr. Hadad stated, "They are left wet and are full of bacteria and mold," adding, "You wouldn't want to rub that back on your skin." She explained that she never uses them herself. In fact, wet shower towels can easily harbor E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Alternatives: Cotton Towels or Silicone Scrubbers
Dr. Hadad recommended using cotton towels or silicone shower brushes (scrubbers) that can be regularly replaced instead of shower towels. Image to aid understanding of the article. Pixabay
Dr. Hadad recommended using cotton towels or silicone shower brushes (scrubbers) that can be regularly replaced instead of shower towels. She said, "Of course, using disinfectants or leaving them in sunlight can be somewhat effective. However, not many people manage them this way every time they shower," emphasizing the need for practical alternatives.
Experts Also Advise Against Use
In addition to Dr. Hadad, several dermatologists have also warned against using shower towels. J. Matthew Knight, a dermatologist based in Orlando, Florida, explained, "Dead skin cells stick to the mesh of shower towels, and the warm, humid environment of a shower makes it easy for bacteria, yeast, and mold to multiply." The Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center in Ohio, also warned that various bacteria capable of causing serious infections can inhabit shower towels.
Experts recommend that if you use a shower towel, you should: ▲ Remove moisture immediately after use and dry it in a well-ventilated area ▲ Avoid using it right after shaving or on wounded areas ▲ Disinfect it regularly at least once a week ▲ Replace it within a maximum of eight weeks.
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