“Grandma’s rule” about showering is true.

The human body has many forgotten places. They are often discussed in connection with the use of sun protection products. Who has ever remembered to apply cream behind the ears or on the soles of the feet? There has been a lot of talk about this in recent years because these are areas of the skin that are equally susceptible to the possibility of developing cancer, so should not be neglected. But this happens not only with sun protection. As our mothers and grandmothers sometimes told us when we were little, there are forgotten parts of the body. when it’s time to take a shower.

Now a group of scientists from George Washington University wanted to pay tribute to all grandmothers with a study that shows that there are indeed forgotten body parts in which bacterial composition the skin becomes much less healthy.

Previously, this group of researchers, led by Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Kate Crandall, dubbed this possibility the “grandmother’s hypothesis.” But now they have gone further and shown that this is much more than just a hypothesis. And while they can sometimes fall into some myths, such as indigestion or escapist vitamins in juice, there is still a lot of science behind the grandmothers’ recommendations.

Parts of the body forgotten in the soul

Crandall presented his grandmother’s hypothesis precisely as a tribute to his own. According to him, she strongly reminded him that he should wash himself. navel, area between the toes and behind the ears. Therefore, it was the forgotten areas of the body that were analyzed in a study published in the journal Frontiers of Microbiology.

Our skin is always covered with microorganisms, especially bacteria. Just as it happens in other parts of the body, such as the digestive system or genitals, a collection of these microorganisms known as microbiotamust strike a balance between those that are beneficial, those that are neutral, and those that are pathogenic.. The great thing is that there are more beneficial microorganisms in the body. In the case of skin, they act as a barrier, preventing external and harmful agents from penetrating into the skin. This includes irritants or other pathogenic microorganisms.

Despite all this, Crandall and his team believed that perhaps neglected parts of the body had a microbiota imbalance with fewer beneficial microorganisms.

How did they check this?

In their research they collaborated with 129 graduate and undergraduate studentswho collected the samples calves and forearms, behind the ears, between the toes and in the navel. They were then sequenced to discover the genetic material of microorganisms living on their skin.

Thus, it was seen that, very consistent with what the grandmothers point out, the body parts forgotten in the shower had a lower proportion of healthy microorganisms compared to the calves and forearms, which were areas drier and cleaner.

Significant differences between gender, age or ethnicity. The only difference seemed to be the thoroughness of the daily cleaning.

Is it dangerous not to wash your belly button?

If we do not thoroughly wash these forgotten areas of the body, the most normal thing is that nothing serious will happen to us. But it is true that this imbalance in the microbiota can lead to the development of skin diseases such as acne and some types of eczema.

Therefore, it is time to pay attention to what our grandmothers told us. When we take a shower, it is not enough to lather the largest and most visible parts of the body. Bacteria understand neither visibility nor size.