Step aside, Aquaman: According to a recent survey we conducted, four percent of men spend 15 minutes or more in their daily shower. Now, granted, 4% is not a lot. Even so, we had to pause a moment and wonder how anyone finds the time to spend a quarter of an hour every day showering. We’re not even disapproving, we’re just jealous. Still, while it sounds exactly like the kind of R&R we could all use a little more of, long showers have their drawbacks, too.
For one, showers longer than 10 minutes at over 100 degrees fahrenheit cause dry, flaky and sensitive skin. That’s because the hot water melts away the natural oils that are responsible for keeping the skin both healthy and moisturized. Then there’s the environmental impact: The average American shower sprinkles 2.1 gallons of water per minute, which means a 15 minute shower sends 31.5 gallons down the drain. Multiply that by the 365 days in a year, and your daily shower is costing a whopping 11497.5 gallons of water per year—that’s enough to provide nearly 200 Americans with drinking water for an entire year, according to industry data.
On the flip side of our survey results, one percent of guys admit to spending less than three minutes in their daily shower, which we can only assume is a result of not scrubbing their feet—or, perhaps not washing their hair. Either way, dermatologists say showering once or twice a week is enough to maintain an acceptable level of hygiene: As much as we’re mystified by their super-speedy shower skills, they are actually spending enough time under the showerhead, according to the experts. And if you want to know how you can get your showering time down, try following our guide to taking the most efficient shower ever. If anything, you’ll have a few extra minutes to actually make yourself breakfast in the morning.
4% of Men Spend Longer Than 15 Minutes in Their Daily Shower
That’s more than 15 minutes every single day, and it’s really not doing their skin any favors.
