The shower length ‘danger zone’ for dry, itchy skin is shorter than you think

There’s nothing like a long, hot shower – especially in winter, but as good as it feels in the moment it’s doing more harm than good to your skin. 

In fact, even 10 to 15 minutes is considered too long, with dermatologists recommending much shorter showers to prevent dry skin and irritation. Dr Emily Forward and Dr Victoria Harris told nine.com.au showers should be short and use lukewarm water.

“Less than five minutes is my usual guidance. That’s enough time to cleanse effectively without giving water the chance to fully saturate and break down the outer skin layer, the stratum corneum, which is what keeps moisture in and irritants out,” Dr Forward said.

“Once you’re past the 10-to-15-minute mark, you’re in the danger zone for barrier disruption, especially in hot water. The longer skin sits in water, the more it swells, and the more lipids and natural moisturising factors are washed away. This is when people start noticing dryness, tightness, or itching within an hour or two of showering.”

If you haven’t set a timer, Dr Harris shared an easy way to tell if you’ve been in there too long.

“I actually instruct my severe eczema patients to try and limit the shower to two to five minutes. I also say if the mirrors are all fogged up by the time you have finished you’ve probably had it too long and hot,” she said.

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“Water is the most common irritant to the skin. A long, hot shower will disrupt the outer layer of the skin and can worsen dermatitis. So whilst those hot showers feel lovely, especially in winter, your skin will likely pay the price.”

As for the water temperature, Dr Forward said, “comfortably warm” and “roughly the temperature you’d choose for washing your hands” is best.

“This temperature cleans effectively without dissolving away the lipids that hold the skin barrier together,” she explained.

“Temperature directly affects how much of your skin’s natural oil is washed away. Water that’s too hot opens up and disrupts the lipid bilayer in the skin barrier; water that’s very cold can cause its own issues with circulation and comfort. Getting the temperature right is one of the simplest, most controllable factors in preventing dry, irritated skin.”

So if shorter, lukewarm showers are best, what does that mean for people who enjoy the TikTok famous ‘everything shower’?

“The ‘everything shower’ trend, where people spend 20, 30, even 60 minutes shaving, exfoliating, masking and deep-conditioning all at once, is genuinely tough on skin barrier health,” Dr Forward said. 

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“Prolonged water exposure combined with repeated exfoliation, hot steam and multiple product applications in one sitting overwhelms the skin’s ability to recover. I see this show up clinically as increased sensitivity, worsened eczema or rosacea flares, and a compromised barrier that lets irritants and allergens in more easily. 

“An occasional long, relaxing shower or bath isn’t going to ruin your skin, but making it a daily habit is where I start seeing problems in clinic.”

However long you spend in the shower and whatever temperature you choose, the experts said you mustn’t skip moisturising once you’ve dried yourself gently with a towel.

“This is such an important step to lock in moisture in the skin. Keep it simple with a fragrance free bland moisturiser. Its job is to act like a second skin and stop the loss of water through the skin. You can also look for ingredients like urea which is a humectant that draws moisture back into the skin and ceramides that help strengthen your skin barrier,” Dr Harris said.