What happens when you don’t shower? World’s dirtiest man dies at the age of 94

An Iranian Hermit, nicknamed the 'world's dirtiest man,' has died at the age of 94, reportedly not long after his first shower in more than six decades. The man, Amou Haji, was known for eating roadkill and smoking a pipe filled with excrement from animals.

World's dirtiest man dies at 94 (Image credits: APF via Getty Images)

The name 'Amou Haji' is an endearing nickname for an elderly person. The hermit died at the late age of 94 in a village in Dejgah in the southern province of Fars.

Haji lived in a cinder-block shack and years of not bathing led to him being covered in soot. Villagers shared that he experienced "emotional setbacks in his youth" that led him to make the averse decision not to bathe. The Iranian lived off the land and believed that cleanliness would make him ill.

He gained global notoriety for his nickname and his life was even recorded in a 2013 documentary called The Strange Life of Amou Haji.

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According to the Telegraph, villagers had forcibly taken him to a bathroom for his first bath a couple of months ago. Not long after, he fell ill, and subsequently died.

Following his death, the record for most days gone by without a bath could go to Kailash "Kalua" Singh, from Varanasi, India. Singh has gone 30 years without a wash in a bid to help “all the problems confronting the nation.”

How important are showers?

Showers have been a general indicator of cleanliness, and we perhaps feel uncomfortable if we haven't bathed in three or four days. Experts have shed some light on the benefits and the drawbacks of showering.

Though there is no one-size-fits-all shower routine, the one thing that most of them agree on is that washing up on a daily basis is not necessary. In fact, it could be harmful to you.

Dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, M.D., says that bathing daily is more of a social obligation. She adds that could strip away protective natural oils from your skin, leading to problems like dryness and irritation.

Dr. Elizabeth says:

“The idea of needing to shower daily to maintain personal hygiene is more of a social norm and habit. Regularly taking excessively long showers or baths can strip away natural oils from your skin’s barrier. This can cause dryness and irritation.”

The general rule is that you can bathe once every three days, and if your lifestyle calls for more showers, you can oblige. However, you need to ensure that the products used are not too harsh on the skin.

On the other hand, there are some adverse effects of not having a wash that could affect your health and even your social life.

While sweat itself has no odor, when mixed with bacteria, it can create some tough smells. The bacteria on your skin accumulates and mixes itself with anything it is exposed to. So if you work out, or generally sweat a lot, it is advised that you bathe often.

Other drawbacks include germ accumulation, dead skin build-up, likeliness of fungal infections, scalp rashes and the likeliness of falling ill if exposed to infectious bacteria.

Not bathing can lead to dry skin, scalp rashes, and more (image via Getty Images/Elena Noviello and clearhaircare.com)

Issues can also develop if you shower too often. Rigorous exfoliating and frequent exposure to water can strip the skin layer off its natural oils and healthy bacretia. When this happens, dry and cracked skin allows harmful microbes to enter the system and cause infections.

There are some benefits to skipping a bath for a day or two, like saving gallons of water, and saving a lot on hair and hygiene products, and saving the environment from single-use plastic. However, it is generally advised not to skip baths for too long.