How do you shower: facing the water or the other way around? And have you really been doing it wrong this whole time? In fact, most people without even thinking about it.
A few days ago a debate flared up on social media. It started with a user’s post that read, “I thought everyone showers with their back to the showerhead. Isn’t that wrong?”
What seems like an everyday post sparked huge interest. In a few days it racked up more than 1.8 million views.
Some users agreed with the original poster. One replied, “I don’t like water torture. So I wash with my back to it. Also, I like to breathe a lot.”
Others said they prefer to the water. “I really like watching the water. It’s like a warm hug,” one romantic commenter wrote.
The face‑or‑back shower showdown
The debate over where to stand in the shower has been going on for years. In 2021 the British market-research firm YouGov polled 4,040 adults on the question. It found:
- 44 percent of people stand facing the shower
- 43 percent stand with their back to it
- 5 percent of respondents said they never shower
- 8 percent admitted they don’t know how to do it or had never thought about it
How dermatologists say you should stand in the shower
In an interview with the Daily Mail, dermatologists and researchers shared their thoughts on the right way to stand in the shower.
Leslie Reynolds, co‑founder of the Harley Street Skin clinic in London, says you should shower with your back to the water.
” generally recommend showering with your back to the water,” Reynolds said. “That helps prevent shampoo and conditioner from getting on the face, which can clog pores and irritate skin. It also limits direct exposure of hot water to the delicate facial skin, helping protect the skin barrier.”
But Susan Mayo, a consultant dermatologist at London’s Cadogan Clinic, says the healthiest option for skin is to alternate your position while you shower.
“Constantly facing the water means your face, chest and shoulders are exposed for longer to direct heat and pressure, which can cause redness in the most sensitive areas,” Susan Mayo said.
She says periodically changing position “reduces that exposure while still providing effective cleansing.”
Mayo adds that shifting positions helps rinse products more evenly from hair and skin, which “helps minimize irritation and maintain a healthier skin barrier.”
Dr. Mayo added that people with , eczema or rosacea should be especially careful about facing the water.
“The face and upper body are especially vulnerable because the skin is thinner. Using warm water and limiting time under a direct stream helps preserve skin hydration and reduces excess stress on the skin barrier,” she explained.
Photo: Unsplash
