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Could Your Shower Be Making You Sick?

(KDKA) Many think of their shower as a place to get clean, but experts say there are some things people need to watch out for that could make them sick.

One expert says if you keep loofahs, scrub brushes or tons of products in the bathroom, then you have all the ingredients necessary for a serious infection. Dr. Suzan Obagi, a local dermatologist and director of the UPMC Skin Health Center, says just add water and watch the bacteria grow.

"What happens is, it's a wet and humid environment and you can clean the whole area with bleach," said Dr. Obagi. "But then there are materials in the shower such as washcloths and loofahs and their porous, so things can get into the crevices of these materials and then grow and multiply there."

But it's not just porous materials, plastic shower curtains are one of the worst culprits for mold, mildew and organisms.

Even cleansing products like your body wash can cause a problem if you don't throw them away every six months.

But as far as your razor, Dr. Obagi says there are no worries there.

"Luckily razors are fine, but the problem comes if you then develop an infection and start shaving over that," Dr. Obagi says. "You can then spread that bacteria or that yeast or fungus across those areas."

Dr. Obagi also says things outside the shower like towels, bath mats and robes are breeding grounds for bacteria too. And when they come in contact with your skin, be prepared for a nasty rash.

"If you start to get red scaly patches that may be a fungal infection," Dr. Obagi adds. "If you start to get itchy red bumps that could be bacteria and it could be yeast and it's very hard to say until you come in to a dermatologist and they scrape you and take a look under the microscope and send the sample to the laboratory."

Doctors say some of these infections can take weeks or even months to clear up, and may require topical or oral medications.

Dr Obagi says there are some things people can do to prevent them from happening altogether.

"My recommendation usually is for people not to use loofahs and not to use washcloths more than once," Dr. Obagi says. "Any kind of lotions or body washes that we open we should try to use within six months."

Also, clean your entire bathroom with an antibacterial product and don't leave anything wet lying around.

Dr Obagi also recommends replacing the shower curtain regularly.

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