Do NOT take a bath!

My son would be disguisting if he didn't get a nightly bath, but then again most people don't have cheese in their ears, yogurt in their hair, or pen marks on their hands! I also need a morning shower just to wake up!

I generally shower every day, because my hair gets nasty otherwise, and the rest of me just feels gross. But I've found a good way to retain moisture is to rub baby oil onto my skin while I'm still wet from the shower, and then air dry. I especially like baby oil that has aloe and vitamin e in it. I also don't have to worry about my electric bill, because I live in a college apartment and it's in my tuition...

There is a reason for all of those lotions, and potions,and powders. So that we may continuously ten to our personal hygeine without neglecting or abusing our skins. Yes what you say is true about the PTA bath thing but we have a gas water heater so you don't save that much either way and I love my nightly baths.

Dry skin is horrible during the winter! I wish I could stop myself from taking a bath once a day, but I just can't go without washing my hair daily. How can you do the PTA, and wash your hair, without getting the rest of your body wet?

Good advice, nurse! We call your PTA a "bird bath" or a "spit bath".

Hmmm...that is interesting. My parents come from Europe and they had this philosphy too. But I do think if you sweat during the day it's a good idea to wash off. It's probably the soap too that does it. I make my own exfoliater with caster sugar and almond oil and use that in the shower instead of soap or shower gels (which are just glorified detergents anyway).

Dry skin is surely a problem during winter, but not taking bath isn't the only solution. I'm not sure if I can go without a bath everyday, most people can't! I would suggest you moisturize well after after shower, that way the skin won't dry out. And also, it helps to a shower gel instead of soap if possible, b'coz soap tends to dry the skin more. that's what I do and I have smooth, well moisturized skin.

I remember reading that George Washington, Ben Johnson, and some the other famous people who lived in the 1700's rarely bathed. In fact, I think I read where George Washing ton only bathed twice in his life (one of which was when he got married). Perhaps that is why they wore white wigs in those days: there hair was too dirty and matted to be combed.

yeah ive heard how winter dries up one skin so fast. I am from the Philippines and most foreigners especially canadian friends of mine who comes here tells me it moisturizes their skin. Its suddenly feel so soft:) They are worried for me once im there since im not used to cold weather so they said i might need a whole bottle of Petroleum Jelly all the time . LOL they are guys so they like to tease me alot.:P Oh well, as for baths, well.. i cant go a day without a bath or i believe il stink. Plus i know cold weather equals hot showers which i think will make your skindrier especially the longer you stay and bath as well. Maybe opt for a slightly cool but not so cold shower then? What about lotion up and i mean alot as well.. will it help? Oh well, i think your sponge bath, if i imagine it correctly will be enough. Is it like just using a sponge or towelette to wash your body? hmmm....

I agree with you and I totally understand. What do you do when you advise others of this and do not listen. My uncle who is in his 80's take a steaming HOT bath everyday and its 1 hour long. I help take care of him so this is how I know he does this. You can advise him but he is stubborn and does it everyday and yes it is 1 hour I timed it. I am worried that yes he is drying out his skin and he takes such a hot bath I am afraid he will pass out. I take a bath a few times a week and alternate with showers and sponge baths. I keep myself clean and really agree that a hot bath is not needed everyday.

You didn't distinguish between a "bath" and a "shower" here, and it strikes me there's a considerable difference. Soaking in a tub removes a lot of the natural oils from your skin, and does make you feel extremely dry (as a result of which I have choosen not to take baths for more than 20 years). A (and it can be brief) shower is more like a half-way point between a bath and sponge bath-- and it allows me to wash my hair which gets really oily and nasty without regular shampooing. I do "skip a day" now and then, since I have moved to a northern climate. When I lived downsouth (in the US) there was NO WAY I could skip bathing every day because the heat just made me perspire most days. And I am really sensitive to ANY kind of unclean smells coming from me. But it's a good tip, though.

One other reason bathing in winter is worse then other times is we tend to put the water to hot for our skin! When a person showers or bathes they should try avoiding the tendency of putting the water too hot. Plus you should wash your hair one day yes one day know, saw this on a documentaries, you should wash your hair on a day yes day no basis unless really oily... as your hair keeps the humidity in and constant cleaning of it ruins your hair, well don't think I can explain it as well as they did but think I got the general concept out.

i got to have take a bath/shower daily. i lived in London for three years and the chilling weather didn't stop me. to avoid drying my skin, i apply loads of oil to my body right after rinsing and and let it dry then apply lotion. that trick never failed me.

yea agree towhatever has been said above....taknig bath in cold cud affect ur skin..it is also reccomended to massage ur body with some mustard oil...i know dat wud be very sticky...but it has best mousturising capabilities...i always prefer to massage my body with mustard oil in winters and tk bath thrice a week...this keeps my body skin receptive and fresh...also..this exercise shud be only practised by ppl who have dry skin..

well thisis not true , this is the case when people tend to take bath with excessive hot water and that leads to severe dryness of the skin , but you can just make sure that the water you use is just warm and not to hot .

I could NEVER go without a shower every day just because I would have to wash my hair. Otherwise, every other day would be a really bad hair day! My hair has natural curl, and after sleeping on it there is no way to get rid of the "bed head" look without washing it and starting over. I'll just have to keep using a lot of lotion to prevent dry skin!!

I hate my dry skin, but I don't feel comfortable at all if I don't take a bath every day. To PTA bath every other day is a good idea though. In general my skin is not that dry. but when winter comes the dryness of my skin make me crazy.

I fall into the category of stinky dirty. Especially now that we are calving. I HAVE to take a bath or a shower everyday. I would not allow my husband into bed unless he had showered as well. I do alot of moisturizing but I know the dry skin feeling even so. However not bathing is not an option lol.

LOL That was a funny Title. I wondered what in the world you were going to say in the discussion. LOL In winter I do not take a shower each day. I take one every other day. My husband takes two each day no matter what. He is a mechanic on large equipment for a coal mine so he gets pretty dirty. He is ourside in the cold and wind also. It is taking its tole on his skin.

So you are telling me 2 showers a day is not acceptable. I use glycerine soap from bath and body works for 3 years now and tons of cream after each shower and my dry skin problems have not come back. Sorry, I need my shower. Before I go to bed and to wake up in the morning - during the summer, sometimes 3 showers - one to just cool down a bit.