The Shower Debates Rage On: The Direction You Stand In The Shower Has The Internet Divided
The biggest debate yet — do you face towards the shower head or away?
Maridav / Shutterstock Between influencer controversies, new parenting approaches and the most recent political debate, oftentimes seemingly harmless interactions online can turn into a heavy debate with thousands of opinions thrown around.
Amidst all of these controversial discussions, nothing is more uncivilized than the infamous shower debate. Loofah or no loofah? How often should you wash your hair? Is a 10-minute shower better than a 15-minute shower? Do you moisturize before drying off or are you supposed to wait?
These debates are what keep us up at night and are the beginning of the end when it comes to getting to know the people in your life. So add this question to your list for a first date otherwise you’ll be looking at your partner in 15 years wondering if you really even know them.
People are debating the correct way to stand in the shower — towards the shower head or away?
A woman was shocked to learn her mom showers entirely differently from her and wondered if others were split on ‘the right way’ to stand under the showerhead. Lovey Lee, took to TikTok for reassurance after she found out her mother’s deep dark secret — she faces the faucet while showering.
Dumbfounded, since she admitted she faced away from the water stream while showering, she was looking to her viewers to see whether or not this was normal. To her surprise, her comments were flooded with responses that split the debate almost in half.
Commenters passionately debated their preferred shower stance.
It turns out that Lee and her mom were not the first to realize that their showering habits were different. In fact, the debate was an infamous one. In a flurry of online discourse about the “right way” to shower, a Reddit post from almost a decade ago captured the same controversial discussion.
While some people were 100% die-hards for facing away from the showerhead, others were just as passionate that facing towards was the way to go. An entirely different and more controversial answer, some people considered themselves “rotisserie chickens,” slowly spinning between front-facing and rear-facing for equal water coverage.
A more recent Reddit thread from 2020 reminded people of the standard media portrayal of showering. Most people in movies and television shows are depicted facing the showerhead which might be the reason so many people are drawn to the technique.
While it seems silly at first, it’s easy to fall into the rabbit hole of the showering wars and might have you second-guessing your preferred technique.
However, it’s not just your typical Reddit poster or TikTok debater that’s getting a rise from this conversation. Professionals (in showers, you might say) have also been drawn into the fray.
Dermatologists weighed in on the debate with a more level-headed approach.
The Today Show did their own deep dive on the showering debate and pulled in health professionals to give their opinions on the conundrum.
“The real scientific answer behind it has to do with moisturizing your skin. The more exposure you get to water, and especially hot water, the drier your skin becomes.” Dr. Cameron Rokshar, Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital explained. “If you face the shower and have a whole bunch of water hit your face for 10 or 15 minutes, and you get out and do nothing about it, that has a drying effect.”
However, Dr. Rokshar admitted he was “a spinner,” or as the online community called it, a rotisserie chicken. “I don’t think you face one way the entire time,” he admitted, “I’m more of a 70-30 kind of guy”.
So, before you get too heated (no pun intended) or dish out advice on the “right way to shower,” remember that we’re all unique and do what’s best for us in our daily routines.
People are passionate about their bathing.
Some lifestyle creators on TikTok are making showering their full-time jobs. The trend of “everything showers” started mid-pandemic when boredom translated into elaborate self-care and hygiene routines.
From oiling their hair, shaving, moisturizing, and using what seemed like thousands of products, the trend of “everything showers” had people pruned and passionate about their techniques.
Outside of the grandiose and luxurious relaxation-centered showers, the trend has since pivoted to more functional cleaning techniques. TikToker @heavsunshyne shared her routine for "everyday showers" and called out techniques and tools that she found “disgusting.”
Every person’s body, skin type, and routine are different. So, it’s not surprising that everyone’s showering routine is also unique. However, being different has never stopped people from passionately fighting for a cause before.
So, in case you were building a first date list or crafting questions for your family’s holiday parties, be sure to add shower-facing preference to the top of your conversation list. It's a lot safer than political ideologies and religion.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture analysis and human interest stories.