Anyone with eczema receives quite a lot of advice. Don't shower too hot. Not too long. Be careful with soap. And especially: do not shower every day, because that would only make the skin drier. But is that last part actually correct? Remarkably, something as commonplace as the frequency of showering for eczema had never been properly investigated. Until now. A recent British study compared showering daily with showering only once a week. The result is especially pleasant for anyone who likes to simply step into the shower. Yes. Research shows that bathing or showering daily no clinically relevant worsening of eczema symptoms gave compared to once a week. That is interesting, because showering less often is still regularly advised for eczema and dry skin. 438 people with eczema participated in the study. They were divided into two groups: bathing or showering daily, or once a week. For four weeks, the participants tracked their symptoms using the POEM score, a widely used questionnaire for eczema. This assesses, among other things, itching, dryness, and the impact of eczema on sleep. The difference between the two groups ultimately turned out to be minimal. So not in this study. The group that showered only weekly did use slightly fewer topical corticosteroids, or hormone ointment, but no clinically significant difference was found for the eczema symptoms themselves. That does not mean that how it doesn't matter if you shower. A short lukewarm shower is, of course, different from standing under scalding hot water for twenty minutes. Especially with eczema, where the skin barrier is already more vulnerable, hot water and harsh cleansing products can further dry out and irritate the skin. It really doesn't have to be cold. Lukewarm is fine. Very hot water can further degrease the skin and irritate dry or sensitive skin. Taking shorter, less hot showers is therefore usually a better choice. And be sparing with soap. Lathering your entire body extensively every day is rarely necessary for dry skin. For dry and eczema-prone skin, that is usually advisable. The skin can lose moisture after showering. A suitable moisturizing or moisture-retaining product helps support the skin barrier. And that is precisely where things often go wrong, in my opinion. People pay close attention to how often they shower, while simultaneously using a strongly foaming cleanser or combining all sorts of active skin products that their skin doesn't appreciate at all. It is not just the shower that counts. What you use on your skin counts at least as much. No. Dry, flaky, red, or tight skin can be indicative of eczema, but it can also be caused by a disrupted skin barrier, cleansing too aggressively, or skincare that simply does not suit the skin well. That is why, at Medicademis, I prefer to look at the whole picture.What does the skin look like? When do the symptoms start? What is used to cleanse? Which products are used? And what happens if we actually make the routine simpler? Sometimes skin doesn't need more, but above all less hassle. This research actually yields a remarkably simple answer to that: Choose what suits you. Showering daily did not cause more eczema symptoms than showering once a week. So you do not need to avoid showering because you have eczema. However, it remains wise to treat vulnerable skin gently: not too hot, not for unnecessarily long, and with products that disrupt the skin barrier as little as possible. And perhaps that is the best thing about this research. Not yet another skin rule to follow, but actually one less. Do you have dry, sensitive, or recurring troubled skin and aren't sure what to use at home? At Medicademis Skin Therapy in The Hague Can I take a look at your skin and your current skincare routine with you? In case of severe or persistent eczema, sores, signs of a skin infection, or a sudden worsening, assessment by the general practitioner or dermatologist is important. Bradshaw L, Howells LM, Muller I, et al. Weekly versus daily bathing for people with eczema: results of the Eczema Bathing online randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Dermatology. 2026;194(3):450–460. Showering every day with eczema: is that actually harmful?
Can you shower every day if you have eczema?
What exactly did the researchers investigate?
Does showering often make eczema worse?
What is better for eczema: a warm or cold shower?
Should you apply lotion to your skin after showering?
Is dry, red skin always eczema?
How often should you shower with eczema?
Help with dry or sensitive skin in The Hague
View the study in the British Journal of Dermatology