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If you take daily showers, you may be doing more harm to your body than good. A new study shows that bathing too often is actually really bad for your skin.

“We over-bathe in this country,” says Boston dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch. “That’s really important to realize. A lot of the reasons we do it is because of societal norms.”

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It’s true. We’re told by parents, friends and media that we have to regularly shave, moisturize, shower and shampoo to stay clean and smelling fresh. But the truth is that showering once a day dries out your skin and removes essential oils.

Dermatologists say, the more you wash, especially in hot water, the more likely you are to dry out and irritate your skin. You could be washing away good bacteria that naturally helps your skin and make small cracks that can lead to skin infections.

Yikes! So what can you do to reverse the damage? Dermatologists recommend that you limit your shower time to 10 minutes every two or three days in lukewarm water.

How often do you take a shower or bath? Will you be changing your habits in the future?