Nurse Criticized Online for Saying She Only Showers Once or Twice a Week

Another nurse found herself in hot water after sharing a little too much personal information on social media. Just don’t expect her to bathe in it.

Alison McCarthy, 27, a Boston nurse, recently revealed on TikTok that she only showers once or twice a week to avoid getting her hair wet. The clip went viral, attracting all kinds of negative comments about how nurses should shower more.

In the clip, McCarthy says she “recently found out that I’m a gross human being.” She elaborated, “most girls, when they say that they wash their hair twice a week, they wash their hair – and they shower every day.”

She then reveals that she has gone five days without showering.

“If I’m getting in the shower, I’m going to wash my hair,” she explaines. “Why would I get in the shower and not wash my hair? But I don’t want to wash my hair every day. So, I’ve had to start saying that I ‘wash my hair’ twice a week (I only shower twice a week).”

McCarthy is known for sharing all kinds of personal wellness and beauty tips online, so a lot of her followers were shocked to learn about her hygiene routine.

“She literally has NO excuse for not showering, she has a skincare routine, gym routine,” wrote one person.

Some thought it was funny how McCarthy found showering exhausting, considering a lot of people can take a shower in just five minutes or less.

Others suggested she use a shower cap if she doesn’t want her hair getting wet. “Girl, A SHOWER CAP,” wrote another user.

McCarthy said she was surprised to get so many negative comments.

“I didn’t have that many followers when I posted it, so I wasn’t expecting that many people to see it or comment on it.” But the video took on a life of its own. “Everyone’s body is different too. I know some people who never have to wear deodorant and don’t smell. I didn’t realize so many people would have such a strong opinion about it.”

She also said some people messaged her privately to say they only shower a few times a week as well and that they “were happy that I spoke about it and that they weren’t alone. I was happy that I could make others not feel so ashamed or bad about themselves.”

McCarthy was hoping people would have a little more compassion for one another. She also defended herself by saying everyone has different hygiene habits. 

“You have no idea what someone is going through and how an ‘easy’ everyday task for you may not be for someone else. Often not showering is linked to depression or mental illness, and it’s hard to even take care of yourself.”

She also said showering can leave some people’s skin feeling dehydrated or irritated.

Okay, so how often should we be showering?

Dermatologists are divided on the subject, but most agree that showering every single day may not be necessary for most people. Most professionals say showering every other day may be best for keeping healthy skin, but those who suffer from certain health conditions may want to shower more or less often depending on their personal preferences.