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Are you impeccable when it comes to hygiene? Not so sure. There is one part of your body in particular that you probably forget to soap in the shower. Fortunately, this is without (too many) consequences.
The American Podcast Am I Doing It Wrong is used to answering unusual questions found on the web. One of the latest episodes dealt with a hygiene question that seems to strangely haunt many Internet users: do we need to wash… our legs in the shower?
Can we skip washing our legs?
So, there are two camps: those who claim that by running down our body, diluted soap or shower gel is enough to stay clean, and those who answer that no, those who do not specifically soap their legs are left with dirty legs over the days. Brrr… So the hosts asked the question to Dr. Divya Shokeen, a dermatologist located in California and she has a very clear idea.
“I don’t think you need to wash your legs.”she says.Unless you are sweating profusely and have just cycled 30km. Then yes, please, in that case, wash your legs.”
That’s because our legs are often covered by pants or other clothing, which protects them from dirt and grime, and they’re not “hot spots” like your armpits or crotch, where sweat and bacteria tend to thrive, she says. Plus, by not rubbing your legs, you prevent the skin from drying out or becoming irritated.I think the water running or the soap running on [vos jambes] is enough [pour le nettoyage]“.
Please don’t forget these other areas!
If the issue of washing legs is settled, the issue of time spent in the shower and the areas to be soaped, on the other hand, can be broadened. Thus, Dr. Shokeen suggested that “all that time saved by not washing your legs” should be used for the famous hot spots (armpits, crotches, folds, etc.), because paradoxically, we probably don’t wash them for as long as they ideally should be.
“These need at least a minute to allow [votre nettoyant] to act”she said.This doesn’t mean you have to scrub down there for a minute. If you have time, do it, but you can lather up [ces zones]…so your cleaner needs to have the ability to actually do something.”
In short, make your legs look good, but focus on the areas that really need a cleanse.
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