On Monday, December 30, Dr. Folakemi Cole-Adeife, a Consultant Dermatologist at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, shared important advice about the frequent use of sponges when bathing. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), she explained that using a sponge too often could harm the skin by stripping away its natural oils and causing tiny tears or damage to the skin.
Dr. Cole-Adeife explained that while a lot of people feel they need to use a sponge every time they bathe, it’s actually unnecessary. She pointed out, “A lot of people cannot have their baths without sponges, but the truth of the matter is that you actually don’t need to bathe with a sponge too frequently or daily. This is because your skin exfoliates itself naturally most of the time.”
Using a sponge can be like exfoliating the skin, she continued, and since our skin does this naturally, there’s no need for daily scrubbing. “Even if you need to exfoliate your skin with a sponge, you don’t need to do it every day,” she said.
Dr. Cole-Adeife also warned that frequent use of a sponge can lead to skin issues such as dryness, irritation, and bacteria entering the skin. “Using a sponge to scrub your skin frequently can strip your skin of natural oils and create micro-tears or micro-trauma in the skin; it can introduce bacteria and other micro-organisms into the skin,” she explained. This can even lead to itchy skin. If you’re experiencing itchy skin, she suggested cutting back on sponge use and seeing if that helps.
For those who feel unclean without using a sponge, the dermatologist recommended using it no more than once or twice a week, or at most three times a week. She also reminded people that it’s not necessary to scrub the skin until it feels “squeaky clean,” as many people in Nigeria believe. “It is not absolutely necessary to use a sponge daily, but if you do not feel clean without using a sponge, you can use it once or twice a week or, at most, three times a week,” she advised.
