Simplifying Shower Time for the HS Spoonie

Living with a chronic illness can make everyday activities complicated—even when having set supports in place. From dealing with the hassle of slippery soap bottles, lengthy hair washing sessions, and trying to find a ledge to rest my legs on, I have found that shower time can turn into a whole ordeal. Lately, I have been researching some interesting hacks that can help to make even the most complex showering routine a little easier.

Install a shaving ledge

If you shave your legs often, you have probably at some point in time experienced the frustration of trying to find a good place to rest for ease of access. Throw in a whole debilitating chronic illness to that scenario and finding a safe place to rest your legs might be even more important. To maximize the ease of my shower routine and make the experience more enjoyable, I think shaving ledges are a great addition to a dedicated place to increase comfort. Shaving ledges come in a variety of styles to fit your bathroom aesthetic and they also have a great price range to fit varying budgets.

Use a product dispenser

I have to admit, sometimes fumbling with shower gel bottles and conditioner pumps can get tiring in the shower. If I am dealing with a high pain day, I honestly don’t even want to be bothered with additional steps in my routine. For no-fuss days, product dispensers can be a handy way to store products in an easily manageable form that minimizes accidental drops. Who has time to worry about an accidental bottle drop when they can enjoy a more spa-like experience using a product dispenser?

Attach a water pressure regulator

This is a huge one for me because I did not even know that these existed. I cannot even begin to explain the excruciating pain that happens when my skin is so inflamed that my skin tissue is exposed outside of my wounds. This can make performing day to day tasks miserable. However, it is a whole new level of pain when the warm water touches the area by accident while showering. Having a water pressure regulator can help to ensure that these areas are not being hit by forceful water and thus cause me more pain.

Try a detachable shower head

This is an easy fix to make shower time easier for the HS spoonie. For limited mobility, it is helpful to still be able to reach all of the necessary areas while reducing the amount of movement required. Detachable shower heads can also make cleaning your body easier which is a plus when dealing with a chronic illness.

Consider a shower mirror

When a flare is especially bad, it can be useful to hang a shower mirror to help see any sensitive areas for special cleaning or to make sure the area is avoided altogether. Shower mirrors can help to give more control over shower time and thus make the process smoother overall. They are also convenient to have to make other aspects of personal grooming easier such as hair styling and shaving.

Whether you decide to consider one of these products or even all of them, shower time should be a relaxing moment during your day. Let’s normalize making everyday activities as easy as possible and focusing more on enjoying each moment as best as we can.