India, Feb. 9 -- For many, daily showers are synonymous with hygiene and protection against bacteria and infections. The beauty and personal care industry has flourished in recent years, surpassing $100 billion in the US alone in 2024. With an ever-expanding market introducing new products almost daily, one must question-do we really need them all?

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Dr. James Hamblin, a preventive medicine and public health expert, decided to challenge conventional wisdom. In an attempt to understand the true necessity of daily showering, he stopped showering for five years. He documented his journey in his 2020 book, Clean: The New Science of Skin.

During th...