Stealing a friend's towel after a swim or borrowing a relative's towel in an emergency may seem harmless but it can really be a health hazard. Towels can appear clean and feel silky, but they are able to support an unseen universe of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that prosper in their wet fibres. According to experts, borrowing a towel may lead you to contact infections that you definitely do not want. Therefore, to break down why borrowing someone else's towel even once is a hygiene ritual you can ditch today, we spoke to our expert, Dr Bhumesh Tyagi, Consultant, General Medicine and Physician, Shardacare, Health City, Noida. Read ahead to know what he shared with us.
Why Shouldn’t You Use Someone Else’s Towel
Here are a few reasons why you should never share a towel with your friends and even family:
1. Towels Are Bacteria Hotspots
Towels are designed to soak up moisture, but that also means they usually remain damp for hours perfect breeding grounds for bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and even Salmonella. When you borrow someone else's towel, you risk applying their microbial mix straight onto your skin.
Fact: According to a University of Arizona study, almost 90% of bathroom towels have coliform bacteria, and around 14% even contained E. coli.
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2. You Might Get Fungal Infections
Sharing towels is one of the most common means of spreading fungal infections such as athlete's foot, ringworm, or jock itch. These fungi thrive in warm, moist places and towels that come into contact with infected skin or feet can spread the infection with ease. Even without apparent symptoms, the towel user can harbour the fungi and spread it unknowingly.
3. Skin Conditions Can Get Worse
If you have acne or sensitive skin, being in contact with a towel carrying another's oils, sweat, facial products, or dirt may cause breakouts, clog pores, or aggravate conditions such as eczema or dermatitis.
4. You're Exposed to Viral Infections
Dr Tyagi confirmed that yes, viruses as well. Some viruses like HPV (human papillomavirus) or Herpes simplex virus can remain viable on damp fabrics and may be spread via towel sharing. While the danger is less than with bacterial or fungal infections, it's a risk that should not be overlooked.
5. It Can Spread Eye and Skin Infections
Ever had pink eye (conjunctivitis)? Just sharing a towel with an infected person can spread it. Likewise, impetigo, an infectious skin condition that kids are prone to, is transmitted through towels.
6. Your Immune System Might Not Save You
Others contend that it is possible to have a robust immune system fight off light exposure but why risk it? Particularly if one is sick, has a skin infection, or just gotten back from the gym or outside, his towel may be a contagion hotbed. Even if you don't become ill, your body becomes subjected to unwanted pathogens.
Hygiene Tips to Stay Safe
- Never share towels with people, even family members. Everyone should use their own.
- Towels need to be washed after three to four uses (more often if they're moist or used extensively).
- Dry towels thoroughly between uses to stave off microbial growth.
- Sun-dry whenever possible as UV light naturally kills bacteria.
Bottomline
Using another person's towel may be a little convenience, but it may result in major health repercussions. From fungal infections on the feet to viral infections in the eyes and bacterial infections on the skin, it's just not worth it. Be considerate and do it for your health—because certain things just aren't meant to be shared.