Is the "Double Cleanse" Shower Trend Bad for Your Skin? Professor Caitriona Ryan Explains

Professor Caitriona Ryan, Consultant Dermatologist and Co-Founder of the Institute of Dermatologists, joined Seán Moncrieff on Newstalk's Moncrieff Show to give her verdict on the latest viral skin trend, washing your entire body twice in the shower.

There is no evidence behind the “double cleanse” shower trend, and it can do more harm than good. Washing the whole body twice, usually with the same soap or body wash, strips the skin's protective barrier, disrupts its pH and its microbiome, and leaves it more vulnerable rather than cleaner. A short, lukewarm shower with soap used only where it's actually needed is enough.

What Is the TikTok “Double Cleanse” Trend?

Worth clarifying first: this is not the facial skincare technique some readers may know as double cleansing. The trend Professor Ryan was asked about on Newstalk is about the whole body, washing yourself once in the shower, rinsing off, then doing the entire routine again, usually with the same product.

“For most people, this is just washing themselves twice with the same product, maybe a different product,” Professor Ryan explained. “Putting it all over their body, rinsing it off, and then doing it all over again.”

Her assessment of the science behind it is blunt: “This is really a load of rubbish.”

Why Does Over-Washing Damage Your Skin Barrier?

Skin is designed to look after itself, and Professor Ryan describes it as a genuinely sophisticated system once you look at what it's doing.

“It has a certain amount of lipid in the outer layer to protect the skin. It is a very specific pH. We've got a microbiome there as well,” she said.

That combination, the lipid layer, the skin's naturally acidic pH, and its microbiome, is what keeps out infection, dirt and irritants. “Having an intact skin barrier is crucial, especially for people who have eczema or sensitive skin.”

Washing too often, and using soap that's too harsh, strips those protective lipids and oils and pushes the skin's pH away from its naturally acidic state towards alkaline. “So again, it's making the skin unhappy,” she said.

People chasing that “squeaky clean” feeling are often mistaking a warning sign for a good result. “Our skin should never feel tight like that,” Professor Ryan said. “If you're feeling squeaky clean, you've overdone it.”

Do You Need Soap on Your Whole Body?

No, according to Professor Ryan, and this is the part most people get wrong. Soap is only genuinely necessary in areas with apocrine glands, the underarms and groin, which produce a type of sweat that mixes with bacteria on the skin and causes odour.

“There's no need for it anywhere else, actually,” she said. “Our skin is very good at just turning over itself.” Where soap is needed, she recommends a soap substitute rather than an abrasive, stripping soap.

What's the Right Way to Shower for Healthy Skin?

Professor Ryan's advice is simple, and it's the opposite of double washing:

• Keep showers short, under five minutes
• Use lukewarm water rather than hot
• Use soap only on the underarms and groin
• Moisturise within two minutes of towel drying

That last step matters as much as the shower itself. “That actually helps protect your skin, and in the end keeps it cleaner, because you've got that better barrier,” she said. “We want to nurture skin. We don't strip it.”

When Might Double Washing Actually Make Sense?

There are a small number of genuine exceptions, not everyday ones. Professor Ryan pointed to occupational exposure to oils or grease, or having applied a thick layer of sunscreen, as situations where a second wash might be reasonable. “That would be a rare thing,” she said.

Fresh tattoos are a related but different case. A tattoo needle breaks the skin barrier, so aftercare matters while the area heals, in the same way a graze or a cut needs looking after. “Once that area is healed, in the same way as a graze on your knee has healed, it should work as normal, and just treat that skin as normal as well,” she explained.

The other time to be more careful, not less, is as the weather turns colder. “As we move into the winter now, our skin gets drier because of the environment outside and the central heating that we all have on,” Professor Ryan said. “It really desiccates the skin.” Heading into a dry, centrally heated autumn and winter is the worst time to start over-cleansing, not the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double washing your body actually get you cleaner?

No. It removes the natural lipids, oils and microbiome that protect your skin, which can leave it more vulnerable to irritation and infection rather than cleaner.

Is it true your skin shouldn't feel “squeaky clean” after a shower?

Yes. A tight, squeaky-clean feeling is a sign the skin barrier has been over-stripped, not a sign of a good clean.

Do I need soap on my whole body?

No. Soap is really only needed on the underarms and groin, where a different type of sweat can cause odour. Elsewhere, water alone is enough, since skin renews itself naturally.

Is a fresh tattoo more vulnerable to over-washing?

Yes, while it's healing, since the needling process breaks the skin barrier. Once it's fully healed, it can be treated the same as any other area of skin.

Should I change my shower habits in winter?

Yes, if anything, be gentler. Central heating and drier outdoor air already strip moisture from the skin in autumn and winter, so this is the worst time to be over-cleansing.

This article is based on Professor Caitriona Ryan's interview with Seán Moncrieff, “Is Double Cleansing Actually Doing Damage to Your Skin?”, Newstalk's Moncrieff Show.