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Soap dodger: the doctor that has not showered with soap for 5 years

ItIsOkBro

ItIsOkBro

Happy New Year!!
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
9,515
www.theguardian.com

Soap dodger: meet the doctor who says we have been showering wrong

Hand-washing aside, James Hamblin has not used soap for five years. He warns that our obsession with being clean is harming the microbiome that keeps us healthy
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Why he did it:

Hamblin's new regime got him thinking about modern notions of cleanliness, what is natural and how these two issues are, frankly, all over the shop. Stigmatism of body odour began as an advertising strategy that helped quadruple the sales of Lifebuoy soap in the 20s. A century later, we still live in fear of anyone detecting the slightest hint of BO on us. We are more perfumed, moisturised and exfoliated than ever.

...

He says the key to the success of his experiments, which saw him all but give up deodorant, was his "slow-fade" approach. "As I gradually used less and less, I started to need less and less," he writes. "My skin slowly became less oily, and I got fewer patches of eczema. I didn't smell like pine trees or lavender, but I also didn't smell like the oniony body odour that I used to get when my armpits, used to being plastered with deodorant, suddenly went a day without it." As his girlfriend put it, he smelled "like a person".
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And an interview:




What does Era think, are we all just sheep for continued use of cleanliness products? Have we been duped by Big Soap all along? The weaning off period would be a challenge, but given that we're in the middle of a pandemic maybe that's your opportunity.
 
CHC

CHC

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,246
Stigmatism of body odour began as an advertising strategy that helped quadruple the sales of Lifebuoy soap in the 20s
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Or... you know, maybe it came about because people were sick of smelling each other's sweaty bodies for millennia before that?

I mean, I'm all for exposing "it was all just capitalism" truths when they are relevant, but maybe it's possible it wasn't some big swindle, just a good innovation.
 
Brhoom

Brhoom

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,654
Kuwait
Your girlfriend is smelling your pheromones

People around you are smelling your sweaty ballsack

Gurl bye.
 

Deleted member 17402

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,125
This is hilarious if only because it's going to validate stinky ass people lurking the forum for not showering or using soap. lol I can't wait for them to chime in here.
 
julian

julian

Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,784
This weird narrative that smelling good is some newfangled fad is just baffling. Didn't people used to use perfumes and bathe with fragrances to smell "better"?
 
Necromanti

Necromanti

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,550
A century later, we still live in fear of anyone detecting the slightest hint of BO on us.
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This pretty much sums up my hypothesis that he smells.

It doesn't seem like he just avoids using soaps, though. He seems to avoid showering at all.
julian said:
Didn't people used to use perfumes and bathe with fragrances to smell "better"?
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Throughout most of human history. I also find it weird that some people seem to imply that humans are the one species that doesn't need to groom or wash themselves.
 
Komo

Komo

Info Analyst
Verified
Jan 3, 2019
7,110
I read just the captions on that the amount of times he said he rinses himself is staggering, and ofcourse his book was mentioned.
 
Castor Archer

Castor Archer

Member
Jan 8, 2019
2,298
Genuinely curious why to this guy it's "ok" to do hand-washing but not full body washing. Shit can get all over you, not just hands.
 

Vector

Member
Feb 28, 2018
6,657
Humans just don't smell good when they don't shower frequently. If I'm forced to work with you or be near you in any capacity I expect you to at least not smell.
 
Curler

Curler

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,604
julian said:
This weird narrative that smelling good is some newfangled fad is just baffling. Didn't people used to use perfumes and bathe with fragrances to smell "better"?
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Pretty sure it was a thing of luxury that only the wealthy could achieve, throughout history (because how many people could own bathtubs back then?) But yeah, people wanting to smell nice isn't anything 'new'.



I think that realistically, SOME people can actually achieve this. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to be gifted with no-stink.

If you are around people long enough, sure you will get used to how they smell. Go to a gym and work out with others? Yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone "smell like people" there too, and it's not exactly a good smell...

I do agree that over using some stuff on your skin can be bad, but not basic soap and water...
 
I Don't Like

I Don't Like

Member
Dec 11, 2017
14,910
Like is there any science behind this notion which he's implying that because his body was used to deodorant, going without it made it react which produced a lot of BO? I mean as opposed to the reason that he smelled because he was sweaty and all the rest of it. Because that sounds like complete bullshit.
 
Failburger

Failburger

Banned
Dec 3, 2018
2,455
Most of human history had us carrying around pouches of flowers and spice for us to breath through to mask the stench of humans.
 
Maximo

Maximo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,174
I use body Soap, I however don't use shampoo anymore and haven't for 8+ years now.
 
TheOther

TheOther

Member
Jan 10, 2019
1,794
Texas
What about that person here who didn't wash for like, what was it, a month or two? Did they ever come back to their thread? Are they stuck to their couch?
 
Sesha

Sesha

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,825
Most soaps and cosmetics are an unholy cocktail of allergens, sensitizers, and (confirmed and disputed) hormone disruptors and carcinogens.

All the conspiracy theories about fluoride and various chemicals are hilariously baffling considering the potentially and legitimately awful shit most people, conspiracy nut and sane alike, willingly rub on their nuts, butts and faces day in and out.

Oh, and "essential oils" are mostly garbage too.
 
Castor Archer

Castor Archer

Member
Jan 8, 2019
2,298
moeman said:
because your hands are far more likely to come into contact with your face and mouth which act as an entry point for pathogens. The rest of your body isn't.
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Right but the rest of your body can get staph infections, yeast infections, etc

Imagine sitting on a public toilet right after a guy that hasn't showered for 5 years used it
 

99nikniht

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,352
Castor Archer said:
Right but the rest of your body can get staph infections, yeast infections, etc
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This is a false notion. When healthy, your body is covered in bacteria that are either beneficial to you, or at the very least, not harmful. These bacteria that has "colonized" the surface areas of your body prevents the pathogenic bacteria from setting up shop and getting you sick. So, it's actually healthy for you to not disrupt these non-harmful bacteria, which is a reason why "antibacterial" soaps are ill advised, in addition to causing super bugs.

Another things I want to bring up, the doctor on the OP is not wrong with general perception of hygiene and how much soap we consume as a society. I've spoken with numerous dermatologist about the over-usage of soap in our society, and most of them generally came to the conclusion that we probably don't need to wash our bodies with soap more than maybe once or twice a week. These are dermatologist from UCSF if that means anything to anyone.
 
bwahhhhh

bwahhhhh

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
3,162
He says he still showers almost daily (well, he says "rinses", I assume he means showers) just not with soap, shampoo, etc.

I could see that working well enough, I guess. Don't think I'll be trying it though.
 
Necromanti

Necromanti

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,550
Curler said:
Oh I was moreso focusing on the perfuming portion of the quote. Scented oils, perfumes, and other nice smelling scents sound like something that were done in bathtubs, rather than rivers. Rivers, hot springs, etc., have always been viable for many cultures.
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In Ancient Egypt, at least, it looks like cosmetics and perfumes were used by all social classes (since it was serious business), though the upper classes had private baths and higher quality products. I'd love to see their reaction to this man's sins.
 
Curler

Curler

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,604
Necromanti said:
In Ancient Egypt, at least, it looks like cosmetics and perfumes were used by all social classes (since it was serious business), though the upper classes had private baths and higher quality products. I'd love to see their reaction to this man's sins.
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It's nice that even common folk had access to these items then. They probably smelled and looked great! I have always loved their art style of makeup use, on both men and women.
 
LProtagonist

LProtagonist

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
7,587
I've done the whole "no shampoo conditioner only" thing and I don't shower religiously every day unless I need one, but this is too much.
 
Rad Bandolar

Rad Bandolar

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,036
SoCal
giant_frying_pan

giant_frying_pan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,672
Glasgow
Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, Australian science communicator and former pediatrician, hasn't used soap in decades. Instead, he uses sorbolene with 10% glycerine.
 
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