This is unsettling.

Some people call them loofahs, some people call them shower puffs, whatever you call them, it's almost guaranteed that you have one in your bathroom. It turns out that it's not a good idea at all to wash yourself with them. According to the Sun the ball of netting is actually very prone to collecting bacteria that can grow and multiply after just one night. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology analysed the shower puffs and the results weren't pretty. These shower aids host a wide range of bacterial species and bacteria overgrowth which literally happens overnight. If you think about it theses loofahs are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, the layers of netting means that bacteria has plenty of space and the damp environment doesn't help.

 “You put them in this environment in the shower that’s warm and moist and gross, and it’s a set up for bacteria, yeast, and mould to grow in the puff.” Dermotology expert J. Matthew Knight said.

So massaging them into your skin can hardly be good for you. And rubbing them into shaved skin is even more harmful because the skin is open and the bacteria can get into nooks and cuts. So if you're shaving your legs don't scrub them with a loofah after. Even skin doctors are advising people to ditch the loofah. An estimated 98% of dermatologists recommend you never use them. If you can't bear to ditch your loofah the dermatologists recommend that you wash it out after every use and leave it to dry. It is also recommended that you get a new one after every three or four weeks, I don't know about you, but I've had one in my bathroom since I opened the bath set from my granny on Christmas morning. Oops.