The Fight between Microbes and Soap, Told Awkwardly

A book review of ‘Clean’, where author James Hamblin … doesn’t shower?

Synopsis: Non-fiction. A review of history and science of cleaning, soap, microbes and the skin. (Rating: 87/100)

Before I launch into this micro-review, I wanted to reiterate the disclaimer that the author had included at the beginning of the book, and had reshared in interviews: please absolutely wash your hands. The research and writing for this book had been done prior to the pandemic but quite unfortunately launched at about the same time that the pandemic hit North America.

Needless to say, there had been pushback on the content of this book. My stance is that Hamblin presented a nuanced story on shampooing and showering and particularly presented arguments on rising skincare trends and discussion on microbe-related products.

The criticism and review for these newer products and highlighting the lack of regulation and lack of research we still have for some of these topics was still helpful. While somewhat overlapping with handwashing in theme, this book rather focuses on these other new products and processes that are becoming a part of our daily routines.

The Introduction of Cleaning and Skin Products

Using soap, deodorant, shampoo — these are such basic aspects of our daily lives that I never questioned when or how they became the norm. Theoretically, I understand that in Medieval times this was not as common, but I never questioned when they came to be part of our daily lives. Hamblin reviews the introduction of soap into our routines and the marketing fight between companies to rise to the top.

He tells the story of the rise and fall of antibacterial soap, which ended up being banned for not being helpful. The irony is that there are products incoming that claim to perform the exact opposite — to preserve microbes on your skin that might be helpful rather than stripping them all away.

The review of the history was a helpful stage to get us to question what is about to come. It helped me identify just how new products (e.g., “squirt-on microbes?”, skincare products) rose to popularity and get marketed into our daily lives, and to question whether it’s necessary or actually helpful. So much of this marketing involves (1) developing a need that gets the product into everyone’s daily routines and (2) then competing with other companies to rise as the top seller.

While I still think soap was a necessary introduction to keep us safe, particularly as I write this amidst a global pandemic. At the same time, I think of other extraneous products I came to rely on that didn’t actually help. I spent exorbitant amounts of money in my early twenties to tackle acne, which is wild because my acne mostly cleared up as soon as I stopped putting so much stuff on my face. I also reflect on the $25-$50 serums (context: these are the “budget” serums when high-end serums can be $200 for 50mL) that boast having ingredients that really do not absorb into the skin or often decay so rapidly it’s probably not active by the time you bring it home (e.g., Vitamin C serum).

Reflection challenge — Take a product audit. What is your daily cleaning routine? Above the basic washing, what else do you put on your skin? How do they interact with other products? What meaning do these products have? Do you do it out of personal enjoyment or is it more out of societal pressure?

Microbes? Probiotic vs. antibiotics

The microbe section was also intriguing, particularly the switch between wanting to sanitize and kill all germs to a rising trend of trying to cultivate “good” microbes so that “bad” microbes can’t sneak in once “all” the microbes in your skin get obliterated by something.

Hamblin discusses the research finding that kids who generally grew up in nature had early exposures to microbes and allergens, thus resulting in fewer allergies and skin issues like eczema. This entirely made me think of my earlier piece ranting and raving about how I disliked nature, because to me, nature a) smells, and b) is full of allergens.

But just how much of this is a product of having lived in such a sanitary bubble growing up? My parents sanitized everything religiously, even steaming baby bottles after washing them just to be safe.

Contrast this with the one time I witnessed a parent on the bus pick up their toddler’s dropped pacifier, which dropped squishy-part first on the floor and place the pacifier right back into the kid’s mouth. I was so grossed out I texted all my friends to detail exactly what I saw.

But, maybe somewhere in between those extremes is the way to live. I absolutely do not suggest replicating this pacifier to the bus floor scene during COVID times. Maybe if I had been allowed to frolic outside with the weeds I wouldn’t have seasonal allergies that can no longer be suppressed by extra strength anti-histamines doubled up with nasal spray?

It makes me wonder and worry about babies who are currently born during the pandemic, reasonably protected from others for a good reason. But will they have a higher risk of being like adult me, allergic and eczema-prone? Given that they still have 20, 30 years before they reach full blossom like me, will there be technological advances for these children (and others not able to access nature) to mitigate these effects? I wonder.

Take a behaviour audit. What is your relationship with nature? What was it like before / after physical distancing? How was it as a child?

Awkward and raw storytelling

All this history and science in a book can make for a dry read. This was not the case for the book. The facts were distilled in digestible analogies. The stories were told awkwardly, to give it a human element.

There’s the opening portion where he details his experience not showering after giving up his job as a doctor to become a science journalist. He reasoned, giving up many of his possessions to afford an apartment in New York, might as well see if shampoo and soap really do anything, right? (Disclaimer: he still washes his hands). Though I’d never go as far as skipping shampoo and soap, something about having to make do on a tiny budget just to live felt … relatable.

There are also small tidbits woven into preface important interviews, like how he awkwardly waved at someone from too far and then had to consider whether he should be averting his eyes or maintain eye contact for the remainder of the (long) time it took for this person to get closer.

This tidbit was necessary to give the human element on the choice to shower/ not shower. Hamblin acknowledges that his choice to not shower comes with a whole bucket of privilege, something that others with less privilege would not be able to pull off. He also acknowledges that showering and the additive products we have slowly introduced as “mandatory” is a taxing process to some (e.g., chronic illnesses). For some people, showering is an event within itself.

Sometimes we take this all for granted.

Take a writing audit. How do you tell stories? When you present fact-based stories, how do you make them digestible to audiences from different backgrounds? Do you insert parts of you to help connect to the reader? Do you hide parts of yourself to prevent influencing the reader in a particular way? How does this affect your writing style and how readers might absorb or process the information you share?

Summary

• Read this book if you’re interested in marketing! The history and future of marketing are discussed in relation to skin products and is particularly interesting because of how these products have made their way into everyday routine.
• Read this book if you’re interested in the science of the invisible creepy crawlies (okay I’ll not call them that) that inhabit and nurture your skin. While some are dangerous, yet others are crucial to our functioning, and we still have so much to go before we truly understand microscopic villains from heroes.
• At the end of the day, read this if you’re human. Read this book if you’re curious about the habits of the past and how habits might be formed in the future. Read this if you want a little chuckle while digesting real, serious facts. Read this for leisure, but also for understanding the world a little better.

Also? Final takeaway? Wash your hands, wear a mask and stay safe.

Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) is currently on a ROLL with reading! Audiobooks are certainly helping. Here are the other two books she recently finished:

Give me your book suggestions here!