What happens to your body when you skip shower after gym
Why it is harmful not to shower after training (photo: Freepik)
Skipping a shower after a workout may seem minor, but your body can pay you back with painful breakouts, unpleasant odor, and even hidden infections. Here’s why it happens and how it can affect your skin and overall health, according to Everyday Health.
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Failing to shower after exercise allows sweat and oils to build up on the skin, creating a waxy film.
Dermatologist Arash Akhavan says this can trigger inflammation in the pores, leading to breakouts. The type of workout you do also matters. This is especially important for people who exercise outdoors, such as hiking or cycling. It’s essential to cleanse the body of street dust and environmental pollutants.
Over time, skipping a shower after workouts can lead to infection. For example, tinea versicolor is a fungal infection that typically develops in sweaty areas such as the chest and back.
Because fungus thrives in warm, moist environments, sweaty sports bras are a common cause of fungal infections under and around the breasts. That’s why the best thing you can do after a workout is wash your sports bra and take a shower.
It’s also important to wash workout clothes after every use. Skipping this step means dirt from your previous session is reintroduced to your skin.
What to do if you don’t have time to shower after a workout
Wait about 15 minutes after finishing the main part of your workout to give your body time to cool down.
You can do a few low-intensity stretches and rehydrate to help your body return to its resting temperature and heart rate.
If you don’t have time for that, use wet wipes, wash your hands with warm water and soap, and apply deodorant. You can also wipe your body with a damp towel and dry off with a clean one.
Most importantly, change into fresh clothes as soon as possible.
Skipping a shower occasionally for unavoidable reasons may not cause serious health problems. But don’t make it a habit.
If you don’t shower after a gym session, sweat, oil, dirt and other impurities accumulate on the skin, leading to a range of skin problems.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
