My No-Soap, No-Shampoo, Bacteria-Rich Hygiene Experiment

NY Times ^ | 5/22/14 | Julia Scott

[UnwashedPeasant]

Summary: The writer is one of several subjects who go 28 days using a probiotic spray instead of using soap, shampoo and deodorant. It is a slow-growing, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria that competes with other bacteria on the skin. The result is healthier skin, free of breakouts. It is longer-lasting than, but not as acutely effective as, a recent traditional cleaning with soap. The friendly bacteria is useful for wound-healing and skin ailments, such as eczema. It causes a hundred-fold reduction in Propionibacterium acnes, which are often blamed for acne breakouts.

The writer had improved skin health, some unpleasant body odor and greasy hair, but no foot odor. After the experiment, the healthy bacteria was killed off after 3 traditional showers with soap. The inventor of the spray (branded "AOBiome") is an MIT-trained chemical engineer who has not showered for the past 12 years. He came up with the idea while trying to determine why horses like to roll in dirt.

[UnwashedPeasant]

To some extent, the writer's improved skin health could be because she was not using chemical products during the experiment.

In my opinion, this bacteria strain is not hardy enough to replace soap, but it would be worth trying for acne or other skin issues.

By the way, if you want an effective alternative to regular aluminum-based deodorants, you should check out a long-lasting zinc-based deodorant from Israel called "Lavilin." And if you have acne, you could experiment with Lavilin as a skin treatment.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

“an MIT-trained chemical engineer who has not showered for the past 12 years.”

-

Just yuck.

[Jack Hydrazine]

“The writer had improved skin health, some unpleasant body odor and greasy hair, but no foot odor.”

Ever seen or smelled a hippie?

There ya go!

[Mygirlsmom]

I now make my own deodorant -a combination of coconut oil, corn starch, baking soda and tea tree oil.

Works better than anything I have ever used in the past. It took about two weeks for my body to adjust, during which time I had some odor, but it was nowhere near the stink that comes from not using anything.

[UnwashedPeasant]

“an MIT-trained chemical engineer who has not showered for the past 12 years.”

He applied to Berkeley, but they require at least 13 years without a shower.

(just kidding)

[Texas Eagle]

The writer had improved skin health, some unpleasant body odor and greasy hair, but no foot odor.

A NYTwit with b.o., who'dathunkit.

[Ouchthatonehurt]

Whateva dude....smell ya later.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Ever seen or smelled a hippie?***

I remember, back in 1971, seeing Hippies wearing flea collars.

[Star Traveler]

The soap companies and deodorant companies are not going to like this ... :-) ...

[latina4dubya]

coconut oil is the secret ingredient to many good things... i rinse my mouth with it every day--nice white teeth! i slather it on my hair once a week... healthy and shiny! put all over my skin a couple of times a week... smooth, soft... i also cook with it... really good for frying tortilla chips...

btw, i could never give up taking showers... they are so refreshing...

[latina4dubya]

that is disgusting!!!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Simply eliminating certain types of bacteria but leaving the substrate the bacteria grew on - the sweat, oil, dirt and other crud - is not an acceptable alternative for me. I’ll stick with the soap.

[autumnraine]

Hippies would literally get the mange.

[Jane Long]

I use coconut oil to pop my popcorn. It’s the best popcorn, ever!

Not sure how you’d rinse your mouth with it, though. Is it a different kind than out of the jar?

[kcvl]

http://www.juliascott.net/about/

[RKBA Democrat]

Eww. So I guess the ny slimes is advocating yet another devolution into feudalism. This time by encouraging people not to bathe. What’s next? Are they going to advocate bleedings and leeches to remove the evil humors?

[Dr. Sivana]

Whitlock thought about how much horses sweat in the summer. He wondered whether the animals managed their sweat by engaging in dirt bathing. Could there be a kind of “good” bacteria in the dirt that fed off perspiration?

Now, pigs don't sweat. Why do THEY like to roll in the dirt?

[tophat9000]

Well there is a logic to it.

We have bacteria on our inside (the digestive track) that Is necessary...so why not on the outside?

All animals have skin but none but us (and our pets) bath and used all the cleaning products we use..

Now we do wear clothing and shoes so that would tend interfere with a natural environment on our skin...

But just like killing off all bacteria in you digestive track is unhealthy. .so too on you skin?...could be

Really.....think about it

Your skin cover with some natural bacteria that been their from the dawn of Man ?....

Or

Your skin covered with chemicals. .poison to kill bacteria ...that were invented in the last hundred years...

Which is healthier?

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— Your skin covered with chemicals. .poison to kill bacteria ...that were invented in the last hundred years...

Which is healthier? -—

There may be problens with chemicals, but it doesn’t make sense to reject modern methods of hygiene out of hand, considering its track record.

[headstamp 2]

“The inventor of the spray (branded “AOBiome”) is an MIT-trained chemical engineer who has not showered for the past 12 years.”

How about good old fashioned “dirt” removal. This is disgusting.