This is why you shouldn't wash yourself with shower puffs

Go home and throw it out, seriously...

We love polished skin. Give us a product or apparatus that's able to slough away dead skin and we're all over it - or, it's all over us, actually. But, after reading some pretty grim findings about these little balls of netting, we probably won't be rushing to the body and bath section to purchase a new one any time soon. In fact, we're going home to throw ours straight in the bin.

According to research, the warm, moist environment where these puffs live is the perfect set up for bacteria, yeast, and mould to thrive. Gross.

What's worse is that these bacteria microbes literally grow overnight. So if you're thinking to yourself, that's ok, I'll just buy one a week, think again. The layers of netting also mean that it's almost impossible to clean them thoroughly between washes, so when you wash with them, you're basically massaging bacteria into your skin and should you decide it's a good idea to use them after shaving, you're pretty much inviting infection.

Dermatologists are advising people to ditch the loofah with an estimated 98% of skin doctors recommending you never use them - ever. Instead, try a body scrub or body exfoliator. They get rid of dead skin just as well, if not better, they won't leave you open to bacterial issues, they're packed with essential oils to leave your skin smooth and they smell seriously incredible. Honestly, it's a no brainer.