The curiosity of our children, as well as their love of jumping with both feet in puddles of mud, although essential for their development, oblige us to clean them regularly. But how often should you wash them?
Evening routine obliges, before putting on their pajamas, our children go through the shower stall (or bath, for rubber ducky fanatics). And for good reason, they take pleasure in covering themselves with dirt while exploring the small world that surrounds them. Never mind, head for the bathroom. Showering and bathing help get rid of accumulated dirt, eliminate dead skin cells and excess sebum. At the same time, we gladly get rid of bad smells. But is daily washing necessary for a toddler?
According to Stéphane Gayet, internist infectiologist and hygienist at Strasbourg University Hospitalwho spoke on this subject in the magazine Madame Figaro: “There is no scientific basis to claim that you should wash every day. The shower is about cleanliness, otherwise everything related to comfort and social codes. It should not be confused with the principles of hygiene, such as hand washing, which serve to avoid infections.”
Be careful not to unbalance their natural protections
Dermatologist Marie-Estelle Roux explains in the same article that we should even beware of excessbecause washing too often could actually cause more damage than anything else.
The skin is covered with a hydrolipidic film and like the intestine, with a skin microbiota which together protect it against pathogenic bacteria, viruses, maintain proper cell function and skin hydration. However, if we wash ourselves very often, with intensity, we will strip this protective film, sensitize the epidermis and thus promote the appearance of pimples, redness and irritation.
Furthermore, a study conducted by Alain Géloën, director of research at the CNRS has demonstrated that cleaning our children thoroughly could cause more allergies and skin diseases. Conversely, children more exposed to bacteria, such as those living on the farm for example, would have a less fragile health because their immune system would have been better prepared to fight them during their developmental years.
Beyond social codes, common sense is essential
In reality, we should rather rely on our common sense. According to infectious disease specialist Stéphane Gayetit is above all necessary favor personal hygiene : “In children under two, it is all the more necessary because faeces and urine left in the diaper for too long can irritate the skin.“. But not just anyhow, we will prefer “a gentle cleansing oil, soap-free and PH neutral, applied with the palm of the hand“, advises dermatologist Marie-Estelle Roux.
She also specifies that in case of heat “if the child does not bathe for more than three to four days, excessive sweating can unbalance the microbiome, promote irritation and lead to fungal infections in the folds of the skin, toes and armpits“. A very good indicator is therefore the smellbecause if the sweat, in itself, does not give off any, the bacteria present there produce odorous molecules.
What about baths?
If you are lucky enough to be able to choose between a bath or a shower, you should know that Stéphane Gayet recommends the shower for a better washthis avoiding the “culture broth” effect. According to him, “if you stay in the bath for a long time, the skin macerates and becomes more permeable to the residues of toxins from the mains water. The bathtub also promotes the resuspension of bacteria in the perineal region and can participate in unbalancing the cutaneous microbiota”.
However, the specialist reminds that this does not oblige you to condemn your bathtub. The moment of the shower or the bath remains a privileged moment. “It is a moment of relaxation, softness and dialogue around the body”specifies the infectiologist.
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