8 Common Hygiene Habits Which Can Be Dangerous To Your Health!

It is said that, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" and this age-old quote makes a lot of sense, as good hygiene is extremely important if a person wants to maintain good health!

Be it personal hygiene or living in hygienic surroundings, one needs to make an effort to give cleanliness much importance.

Imagine how it would feel to work in an office space which has a lot of dust or mold accumulated, it can be very off putting, not to mention the impact such an environment can have over your health!

Similarly, when you do not make an effort to maintain personal hygiene, as in, maintaining the cleanliness of your own body, then it can lead to health complications too!

For instance, if you do not take a bath and wash your body on a regular basis, it could lead to a number of infections, skin problems and fungal growth on the skin.

Not maintaining personal hygiene can also lead to major health issues in some instances!

So, it is very important to maintain personal hygiene, however, there are some personal hygiene practices that we may be following on a regular basis, which may be more harmful for us than not!

So, have a look at some of the common hygiene habits which can harm our health!

1. Using Q-Tips/Ear buds

As we know, the ears are organs which produce a lot of wax internally to act as a filter between the internal parts of the ear and the dust and germs present in the environment. Many of us usually clean out the wax using Q-tips/ear buds. However, this practice can be quite dangerous, as inserting the ear buds in too deep can puncture the eardrum or cause internal wounds. Washing your ear with water once in a while is a better alternative.

2. Bubble Baths

It may seem like a great idea to soak yourself in a bathtub full of fragrant bubbles or bath bombs, after a long day. However, doing this often can harm your skin and cause dry skin, allergies, etc., as these bath bombs and bubble-producing liquids can contain harmful chemicals which are toxic.

3. Douching

Douching is a practice in which women use liquids or sprays to clean out their vaginas. This hygiene habit is very harmful, even according to gynaecologists, as the chemicals present in these liquids and sprays can be very harmful to the delicate tissues of the vagina, and can lower the natural pH level of this organ, causing itching, dryness, inflammation, etc.

4. Excess Use Of Hand Sanitizers

Most of us these days have the habit of using hand sanitizers when we are on the go, in order to rid our hands of the germs which have accumulated from the environment. While this habit is healthy, overdoing it can cause bacterial resistance and become ineffective. In addition, it can also cause hormonal imbalances when the chemicals in these liquids enter our bodies through the mouth.

5. Using Hand Dryers

Many of us use hand dryers to dry our hands, especially at workplaces and restaurants, to save paper. This hygiene habit can be harmful, as research studies indicate that drying your hands under hand dryers will not wipe away the bacteria completely and the bacteria from one person's hand can spread through the air and contaminate the whole place!

6. Hot Showers

Standing below a shower with hot, running water, may feel good and make you feel much cleaner, when you do it for a longer time. However, this habit can be very harmful for your skin, as the hot water can strip off the natural, protective oils from your skin, causing dry skin, rashes, uneven patches, etc. So, a shower must be short, with lukewarm water.

7. Sneezing Into Your Hands

It is considered polite to cover your mouth and nose with your hands while sneezing, especially when you are out in the public. However, after doing so, if you immediately touch currency notes, food or shake hands with people, without washing, the bacteria can spread on to them too! So, it is always better to sneeze into a tissue or a handkerchief.

8. Washing Your Hair Daily

Some of us may feel like it is more hygienic if we wash our hair on a regular basis, especially during the summers or if we workout every day. Doing this can strip off the natural oils produced in the scalp, to keep your hair healthy and lustrous and make it dry and lifeless. It could even cause hair fall. So, it is advisable to wash your hair 3-4 times in a week, at the most.