Do I shower enough?

How often do people actually shower?

Americans shower an average of 6.8 times per week — essentially daily. But this varies wildly: Brazilians average 14 showers/week (twice daily), while the British average only 5 per week. Dermatologists actually recommend 2–3 times/week for most people.

Average showers per week by country (Euromonitor 2023)

• Brazil: 14/week (twice daily is cultural norm)
• Australia: 8/week
• United States: 6.8/week
• France: 5.5/week
• United Kingdom: 5/week
• Germany: 5/week
• Japan: 7/week (daily bathing culture)
• China: 4/week

What dermatologists say

• Daily showering strips natural oils and can damage the skin microbiome
• 2–3 times/week is sufficient for most people (AAD)
• Exception: shower after heavy sweating or dirty work
• Over-showering correlates with higher eczema rates

Sources: Euromonitor International (2023), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Harvard Health.