Urinating in shower can harm your skin: Here’s how

It’s usually when you are standing in the shower, having lathered soap all over your body and singing a song, that you suddenly feel the urge to urinate. Many people casually urinate in the shower, as if it will be cleaned in the running water. However, health experts caution against this habit, as it could lead to numerous problems. The nervous system is stimulated when water comes into contact with the body, causing an increase in blood pressure. As a result, the kidneys filter more fluid, filling the bladder quickly.

This reflexive increase in urine production when the body comes into contact with water is called immersion diuresis. However, experts caution that urinating in the shower may lead to a bacterial skin infection. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology in 2014 confirmed that urea, ammonia and other chemical residues can irritate the skin, leading to itching, rashes and dryness.

Besides, bacteria from urine can linger on the bathroom floor, posing a hygiene risk to others. Urinating while standing is especially dangerous for women as it could cause severe stress on their pelvic floor muscles. Gradually, it would weaken their pelvic floor muscles, making bladder control more difficult and increasing the likelihood of leaking urine.

Urinating while standing increases the risk of urinary infection in women. Unemptied urine in the bladder can also act as a breeding ground for bacteria. The urinary tract could become highly sensitive if urinating in the shower becomes a regular habit. The brain cues to urinate while showering, even if the bladder isn’t filled, disrupting your natural urinating habits. So, experts warn against urinating in the shower, although it may seem harmless.