The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you should “blot your skin gently dry with a towel” because rubbing your skin down can lead to dry or flaky skin. That means no furious drying after a shower. Try to use a soft, absorbent towel like this bamboo cotton towel.
Air-drying is not bad for your skin! There's no reason you would need to towel off after getting wet, other than the water may get on your clothes or make you a little colder. And as we've covered, air-drying can actually have benefits, so the answer is really quite the opposite!
"It's one of the biggest mistakes my patients make," he explains. "Rubbing can lead to skin irritation and inflammation, so as long as you are using a clean towel, you always want to gently pat." Aside from the annoyance of a dripping-wet face, Zeichner attests that there's actually no real problem with air-drying.
There are two ways people tend to dry off after a shower. It's a hot debate among some whether it is better to towel off or air dry. Both have their benefits, so choose one or try each and see which is right for you. One thing is for sure, though, we all want a dry body, but not dry skin.
Instead, pat yourself dry leaving your skin a little damp. But do concentrate on drying specific areas such as on skin folds, between toes, underarms, etc., to prevent future infections or rashes. After that, immediately apply moisture as it can help lock in water into your skin and nourish it.
Spread Them Out to Dry
After you take your shower, shake off any excess water from your towels and spread them out wherever you place them. Hanging wet towels on top of each other will only make them take longer to dry, and keeping your towels bunched up will result in uneven drying.
“Skin will absorb some water during both baths and showers,” said Nazarian. “It's important to utilize the small window of opportunity — less than 30 minutes — after cleansing to apply your moisturizer to damp skin.” And it's important to make it a habit.
Pat yourself dry
Pat your skin with a towel instead of rubbing vigorously. Rubbing can cause irritation and leave you itchy. Patting also leaves some water on the skin, which should be sealed in with moisturizer after each shower.
You'll have to stand there and air dry before you can put any clothes on. Even then there will be body parts that will stay moist long after most of your body dries off. Bacteria may build up there and cause a rash.
Showers themselves already strip our skin's natural oils with the hot water and soaps we use, and although they feel good, we need to let our skin recover afterwards. If you're prone to dry and sensitive skin, the way you're drying yourself off after the shower could be contributing to that.
Michael Kaminer, a board-certified dermatologist, says that most moisturizers work best when the skin is hydrated. When water completely evaporates from the body after a shower, it can leave the skin feeling dry. That's why you want to seal in that moisture with body lotion while the skin is still somewhat damp.
Having hair wrapped up in a towel allows the towel to gradually absorb the moisture without the rough-housing of rubbing it dry. Less friction on hair (which remember is weaker when it's wet) means less breakage and split ends. Less friction also means less frizz.
Showering daily is not necessarily "unhealthy," but you may not need to. For many people, a full-body shower every other day or even every third day is enough. That said, just because you don't shower daily does not mean you want to skip out on personal care.
Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health. It depends in part on your lifestyle.
It all comes down to several basic rules of thumb: use a product that's appropriate for your skin and cleaning needs, wash your entire body (even between your toes) once per day, put your loofah or washcloth in a place where it can dry completely, don't use too much soap, wash with water that isn't too hot, and stick ...
Experts typically recommend showering several days a week. The decision is personal, but knowing your body and routine is key. Showering every day is not bad for you (yay!), and showering every other day or even a couple of times a week isn't either.
The good and the bad for Team Night
For those who struggle with insomnia, Dr. Kennedy said she'd suggest showering at night, about 90 minutes before bed. “The body naturally cools down as bedtime approaches, in sync with the circadian rhythm,” she said.
Dead skin cells, bacteria, and even sweat can accumulate quickly on your towels, so using a fresh one about every three days is a simple rule of thumb—for all kinds of towels.