Just a few short decades ago the Saturday night bath was a family ritual. There were no showers then just a once-a-week bath. My, how that's changed.

Today it's a daily hot shower. We see the ads on TV: a man covered from head to toe in soap suds scrubbing determinedly against the grime, grit, and germs that he imagines coat his septic skin.

His sanitized body washed and steam cleaned is then masked with deodorants, antiperspirants, scented lotions, skin creams, and hair conditioners, ready to confront the eyes and noses of the public.

But really, is all this necessary? You bet it is. But not for us; it's vital for the companies that peddle the hundreds of bath products that line the shelves of supermarkets and pharmacies.

The current fetish of cleanliness started in the '30s. Perhaps you remember the Lifebuoy commercial with a foghorn mimicking the sound of B.O. for body odor. It was wildly successful. Lifebuoy is no longer sold in the US, but its successors have proliferated to myriads of bathroom must-haves.

It is a triumph of Madison Avenue propaganda to sell products which we see as essential, that are in reality not only superfluous but harmful to the skin, hair, and injurious to health.

But to espouse something so heretical (if not blasphemous) demands an explanation.

The outer layer of skin is a protective barrier of dead skin cells. Run your fingernail across your skin. That white line is a string of dead cells. But they have a purpose. They shield the underlying layer of live cells. The dead cells are held in place by oils judiciously secreted by the skin.

Like the gut, the outer layer of skin is host to a menagerie of beneficial flora and fauna. And like the gut, it also produces antibiotics that kill harmful bacteria.

Using a washcloth, loofah, or exfoliate to remove this layer exposes the living cells before they are fully mature and rubs away essential oils and natural antibiotics.

Further, the skin is a self-cleaning organ. Iodine will permanently stain the skin. Dab a little on the skin and after two or three days the “permanent” stain is gone. The iodine wasn't absorbed; the stained skin cells were shed.

Every hour 40,000 skin cells flake off. In a year, that amounts to eight pounds. (House dust is 80 percent jettisoned epidermis.) Disturbing? Yes. But in that time you grew a succession of 12 new layers of skin.

So if the skin is self-cleaning, why shower? Well, if done correctly, it's a refreshing and healthful way to start the day.

First, turn back the hot water. Adjust to a brisker temperature incrementally, or just go cold turkey and turn it off all together. There are many perks.

A cold shower increases the metabolic rate, enhances the immune system, increases blood and lymphatic circulation, boosts testosterone, brightens the mood, and chases away depression.

Next, forgo the soap. It drys the skin and causes Winter Itch, a dry and itchy skin and scalp.

And while you're at it, toss the shampoo as well. Shampoo strips the hair of natural oils and often contains harmful chemicals such as carcinogens, hormone disruptors, a number of unpronounceables , and of all things, pesticides.

Next. In cool, or better yet cold water rub the skin, scalp, and hair with the palms of your hands. This will gently remove skin cells that are ready to be sloughed off and cleanse the hair. After two or three minutes in an invigorating shower you're done. Pat dry, not rub, with a soft towel.

Concerning those after-bath lotions, creams, ointments, powders, sprays, and roll-ons, be careful. The skin is highly absorbent. A good rule of thumb is this: If you would not eat it, do not put it on your skin.

And what about soap? Our bodies are usually covered with clothes; they need the soap as do our hands. As for the rest, skip the bath soap, shampoo, the post-shower indispensables, and the hype that goes with them for a cleaner and healthier you.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA