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9 mistakes when showering: THIS is what we always did wrong
Showering is like brushing your teeth. We do it every day and most of the time we don't even think about it. A mistake, because a lot of things can go wrong: from the wrong temperature to the wrong care products - especially when it comes to our intimate area. We'll tell you what the biggest showering mishaps are and how you can avoid them from now on.
In summer and winter, a cool – or hot – shower in the morning or evening is the wellness moment of the day. The water that hits our bodies, plus the fragrant shower gel – oh, just wonderful.
But unfortunately the good feeling doesn't last long, because as soon as we dry off, the skin starts to tighten and red dots appear in the areas that we have just shaved. The reason for these aches and pains: the wrong shower routine.
We'll tell you what you do wrong in the shower every day and how you can keep that feeling of well-being all day long from now on.
Shower Mistake #1: Shower too hot
For many people, the shower temperature is only perfect when a warm mist fogs up the glass doors and the hot jet makes the skin flush. But that's exactly the first fatal mistake you can make when showering.
Water that is too hot dries out your skin because too much of the natural oily film is washed away and the skin loses moisture. This is a big problem, especially in winter, because our skin is already irritable due to the dry air from the heating and the icy temperatures. Instead of super hot, you should shower lukewarm in the future.
Shower mistake #2: Normal shower gel for the intimate area
After a few blissful minutes under the shower jet, you reach for your favorite shower items that smell so wonderfully of perfume. For most of us, soaping follows a fixed pattern: first the armpits, then the stomach and then a little deeper. Stop!
Because that's probably the worst mistake you can make when showering. The intimate area is quite sensitive to most shower gels and can itch or burn.
But that's not all: washing the intimate area with normal soap can also permanently disrupt the intimate flora. The result: You become more susceptible to fungal infections or other diseases. Pretty uncomfortable.
Normally the pH value in the intimate zone is in the acidic range between 4.5 and 5.5. The acidic environment is important in making life more difficult for pathogens such as fungi and bacteria.
Shower mistake #3: Use the washing lotion “inside” too
The right washing lotion for the intimate area is ready. But there is another mistake that many of us make when showering. They want to be particularly thorough and therefore wash themselves from the inside.
A horror vision for every gynecologist, because water and washing lotions that get into the vagina can, as already mentioned, cause great damage. Cleaning the inside is also unnecessary because the vagina has self-cleaning powers.
When washing in the shower, the following applies: Yes on the outside, no on the inside. And if you feel the need to freshen up a bit during the day, you can use special intimate hygiene wipes.
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Shower Mistake #4: Using the wrong shaving cream
When the washing is done, many of us reach for the razor. A little shaving foam on the skin and ratchet – ratchet – ratchet – the annoying stubble is gone. The problem with shaving foam: It's good for your armpits and legs, but not for your bikini area.
Just like with washing gel, the shaving foam must also be adjusted to the pH value so as not to further irritate the sensitive region. Otherwise, unsightly razor bumps or painful inflammation will quickly occur.
Shower Mistake #5: Soaping your arms and legs
Are you one of those people who soap up your arms and legs in the shower so that your whole body really smells fresh? If so, you should stop doing that from today. Because this will only cause your skin to dry out, become tight and itchy. The skin on the arms and legs is even worse at retaining moisture than other areas of the body. So it's better to leave the shower gel alone and just rinse it off with water.
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Shower Mistake #6: Showering too long
You would prefer to never turn off the shower jet. Because the warm patter on the skin is just too pleasant. But showering is like many things in life: when it's at its best, you should stop.
Instead of spending 15, 20 or even 30 minutes in the shower as before, you should stop after 5 to 10 minutes in the future. The longer you shower, the more your skin dries out because more of the protective layer of fat on the skin's surface is washed away with every second.
So get out of the cabin and into the pre-heated towel. And then it's best to apply body lotion to moisturize the skin again. This ensures that the fresh shower feeling stays with you all day long.
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Something important to conclude: skin care is always very individual. Only you can judge for yourself whether the tips we have described or the products we have presented will work for you.
If you have very sensitive skin that is prone to irritation, it may be advisable to see a skin specialist. So you are guaranteed to find the care that suits your skin's needs.
