# I Pit Shower Poufs (Lame but Important!) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 1, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323 "2005-04-01T23:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/1 "2005-04-01T23:34:14Z")
Listen up, people. I have a Public Service Announcement. Nylon mesh “poufs” are BAD for you. Very, very bad. They carry bacteria, since they are impossible to clean unless you soak them in bleach, which nobody does. A dermatologist that I work for saw ten patients today with rashes due to these things, and that number is average for one day. These people come in thinking they have ringworm, scabies, ezcema, or any number of horrible disorders, and they’re always so surprised to learn it all boils down to their shower pouf. They’re also extremely abrasive. You may as well use a pot-scrubber. You think you’re cleaning your skin, when in reality what you are doing is grinding bacteria into it. The reason they’re still being produced and sold? Because they cost about a penny to make, and sell for at least a dollar- 100% profit! I cannot stress enough how bad they are for your skin. So if you use one, stop! The only thing you should use is a clean washcloth, every time. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/2 "2005-04-01T23:37:16Z")
:eek: _makes mental note to chuck that puppy when I get home_ _makes further mental note to knit a nice clean washcloth_ ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/3 "2005-04-01T23:38:36Z")
You’ll get my shower pouff when you pry it from my cold dead hands! I just lathers so well! FWIW, I change it about once a week, and wash the dirty one in the washing machine. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/4 "2005-04-01T23:46:16Z")
I hear ya, **Alice**. We all love lather. However, you should know that washing anything in a washing machine doesn’t necessarily kill bacteria, unless you use bleach. Also, people wash too much of their body. You really only need to wash the “stinky areas”- face, pits, crotch and butt, and feet. Your arms, legs, back, and chest don’t get that dirty. Too much soap causes dryness, especially if you live in a dry climate like I do. My doctors recommend Dove bar soap. Ivory is the worst soap on the market. I am glad to hear you change it once a week, though. That helps. Poufs were invented by the liquid soap-makers because people use more liquid soap when they wash with these things. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/5 "2005-04-01T23:50:17Z")
Question-I would imagine that if poufs are bad, loofahs are even worse? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/6 "2005-04-01T23:53:28Z")
Well, the doctor always asks them, “So, you use a nylon pouf or a loofah sponge?” So I take that as meaning yeah, they’re cause the same problems. ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/7 "2005-04-01T23:54:58Z")
> [@trublmakr](#): > > Also, people wash too much of their body. You really only need to wash the “stinky areas”- face, pits, crotch and butt, and feet. Your arms, legs, back, and chest don’t get that dirty. Too much soap causes dryness, especially if you live in a dry climate like I do. Maybe I have overactive skin cells but I need to scrub everywhere or I get ITCHY. It’s especially bad on my back, ankles/feet and chest. If I don’t scrub and I start to get itchy there, I scratch and end up with dry skin/oils caked up under my fingernails. :eek: Kinda gross, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/8 "2005-04-01T23:56:42Z")
> [@trublmakr](#): > > I hear ya, **Alice**. However, you should know that washing anything in a washing machine doesn’t necessarily kill bacteria, unless you use bleach. Well, the pouff coming out of my washing machine is at least as clean as the towel I’m going to use to dry with. Right? Or the washcloth I would use as an alternative. Right? Not that I disagree with them collecting bacteria - I mean, you have to WASH the damn thing, but I’m not sure I think it’s any worse than a washcloth or whatever. I’m just not ready to start using those Clorox disposable wipes on myself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/9 "2005-04-02T00:08:56Z")
I assume that Buf-Pufs are in the same family as poufs and loofahs, and I really ought to toss it? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/10 "2005-04-02T00:14:59Z")
Not sure I know what a Buf-Puf is, but if you’re to reuse it over and over, then yeah, you should junk it. It’s just unbelievable to me how many problems we see in our office due to these things. I’ve even seen staph infections caused by them. On second thought, if people didn’t use them, our patient load would drop and I might be out of a job. Um… never mind, poufs are awesome! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/11 "2005-04-02T00:39:11Z")
I can see why shower poufs would harbour bacteria. However, I need to exfoliate my skin as it’s very prone to ingrown hairs. If I can’t use a shower pouff, buf puf or a loofah, what can I use to exfoliate with? Any bacteria-free suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![stately\_plump\_buck\_mulligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@stately\_plump\_buck\_mulligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stately_plump_buck_mulligan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/12 "2005-04-02T00:40:21Z")
> [@](#): > > You really only need to wash the “stinky areas”- face, pits, crotch and butt, and feet. Hey man. I dunno what kinda faces _you_ been smellin’… ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/13 "2005-04-02T00:44:01Z")
> [@Ultraviolet](#): > > I can see why shower poufs would harbour bacteria. However, I need to exfoliate my skin as it’s very prone to ingrown hairs. If I can’t use a shower pouff, buf puf or a loofah, what can I use to exfoliate with? Any bacteria-free suggestions? A good nubby washcloth will exfoliate. If that’s not enough, you could try a lotion with salicylic acid or lactic acid in it. There’s also soap with tiny scrubbers. Anything labeled “polishing” or “exfoliating” will do. St. Ives makes some decent cheap ones. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/14 "2005-04-02T00:53:21Z")
> [@stately plump buck mulligan](#): > > Hey man. I dunno what kinda faces _you_ been smellin’… Yeah, most faces probably aren’t stinky. Just quoting, verbatim, what the doctor tells his patients. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/15 "2005-04-02T01:24:00Z")
I’m intrigued that Ivory is the worst soap on the market. Why? When I was in college I discovered that using Ivory gives me little pink bumps all over my skin. I discovered that when I bought a bar. I had to take cortisone for a week and stop using Ivory before it went away. With all the advertising about 99 and 44/100 pure, I had to laugh and blame the 56/100ths because it sure did a number on me. Then I found 2 or 3 people who had the same reaction. What the hell is with Ivory? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/16 "2005-04-02T01:28:50Z")
Apparently, it’s very alkaline. I don’t know exactly why that’s bad. The most intelligent (in my opinion) doctor in our practice _hates_ Ivory; maybe on Monday I’ll remember to ask him why it’s so bad. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/17 "2005-04-02T01:30:25Z")
> [@trublmakr](#): > > My doctors recommend Dove bar soap. Ivory is the worst soap on the market. But what if you get hives from Dove? I can’t use any Dove product without getting very dry skin and/or hives. What else do they recommend? ---
**Author:** ![stately\_plump\_buck\_mulligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@stately\_plump\_buck\_mulligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stately_plump_buck_mulligan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/18 "2005-04-02T01:34:20Z")
I think something about the ph of Ivory just wreaks havoc on all but the most hardy skin. It used to be the only thing my mom would ever buy… and I have sensitive, dermographia-plagued skin. Sigh. I ditched the shower pouf a while ago in favor of Dove bar soap, washcloths, and fun shower scrubs. I never looked back, and I’m having the shower-time of my life! FUCK YOU, POUFS! ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/19 "2005-04-02T01:35:33Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > I had to laugh and blame the 56/100ths because it sure did a number on me. Then I found 2 or 3 people who had the same reaction. > > What the hell is with Ivory? We used to joke, in my family, that the other 56/100ths was pure nuclear waste. \< hijack \> So, **trublmakr** , could we turn this into an “Ask the dermotologist’s staff” thread? Any good skincare tips to pass along other than drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun? Do those hair, skin, and nails specialty vitamins really work any better than a regular multivitamin? \< /hijack \> ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323/20 "2005-04-02T01:36:24Z")
> [@flamingbananas](#): > > But what if you get hives from Dove? I can’t use any Dove product without getting very dry skin and/or hives. What else do they recommend? Cetaphil is good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-shower-poufs-lame-but-important/297323.md?page=2)