It wasn't just Europeans in the Middle Ages (c. 450-1500) who refused to bathe. Early American colonists in Virginia and Pennsylvania restricted bathing as a way to outlaw any type of nudity. These laws were very strict about how often one could bathe. One law stated that anyone who bathed more than once a month would be sent to prison.

Because of these poor hygiene habits, many people died of disease. It wasn't until two scientists in the late nineteenth century, Robert Koch (1843-1910) from Germany and Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) from France, discovered that bacteria was the cause of disease that the health crises began to improve.

For instance, a pimple is created when the wall of the hair follicle bursts, releasing sebum and dead cells into the skin and creating a bacterial infection. Pimples are actually infections and can produce red bumps that are sometimes filled with pus. If a hair follicle bursts deep under the skin, a more serious infection, called cystic acne, will occur.

The history of hygiene has taught us that the best way to keep the body clean and free of infection is to wash on a daily basis. This means taking a shower or a bath and using soap and hot water to wash away the bacteria that builds up over the course of the day. This also means washing one's hands several times a day. Since the hands touch many foreign objects as well as many familiar objects (like one's nose, mouth, and eyes), washing hands, especially after going to the bathroom, will prevent harmful bacteria from damaging one's health.

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THE PRACTICE OF CORE HYGIENE
Hygiene is more than just being clean. It is defined as the many practices that help people be and stay healthy. Practicing good personal hygiene is smart for two reasons. First, it helps prevent people from catching and spreading illness and disease. Second, it helps people feel good about themselves and their bodies. In most modern societies, cleanliness is an important issue, poor hygiene is seen as unacceptable and unhealthy.

Good personal hygiene is one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves and others from many illnesses, such as gastroenteritis. What you do about personal hygiene is very much dependent on the culture in which you live. Your 'culture' does not only mean in which town or country you live, but also the group that you spend most of your time with.

Ideas about 'hygiene' were initially thought of to stop the spread of infection, but now we also use the word hygiene to mean that our body is nice to be around (for example hair looks clean and we smell OK). Personal Hygiene needs to be part of everybody's daily habits, so that we can help prevent illnesses from spreading. In some places it is easier to practice good hygiene (if for example you have clean water on tap), and for some jobs you need to be very careful about hygiene. Regardless your 'culture' or country you live in, there are some fundamentals for personal hygiene that must be considered.

MORE THAN JUST BEING CLEAN
Good hygiene includes thoroughly and regularly washing one's body (especially hands), washing one's hair, brushing and flossing teeth, and caring for gums. These grooming habits will reduce the threat of bacteria that constantly reside on the body. While a certain amount of bacteria are harmless, and even beneficial, to the body, a build-up of bacteria can harm a person's health.

As children grow older, their bodies go through a number of changes. While good hygiene is important for everyone at any age, it can require greater care at the onset of puberty. When puberty arrives (usually between the ages of eight and sixteen), it means the body is becoming sexually mature.

Hormones, certain chemicals made by one's body, produce both physical and emotional changes. It is the physical changes that require greater attention when it comes to hygiene. For a young girl or boy, this means taking more time and care cleaning one's body, especially the sexual organs, dealing with acne, bad breath, and a stronger body odor, as well as doing more to prevent cavities and gum disease.

Millions of people get sick each year from eating foods that were contaminated by the person who prepared the food. The single most important thing to prevent food borne illnesses is hand washing. Wash your hands frequently, especially after using the toilet, changing a diaper, petting an animal and before handling food or eating food. Good personal hygiene is one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves and others from many illnesses, such as gastroenteritis.