Warning sharing towels with family can cause grim infections like viral warts

20 July 2023 , 07:40

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Don't share towels with your family members, experts say (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/Cultura RF)

Experts have warned that sharing towels with other family members can lead to grim infections.

Towels can retain moisture, creating an environment where some diseases can thrive.

People should avoid sharing towels with family members and make good practice of changing them around once a week, experts have said.

"Skin infections like molluscum contagiosum, impetigo and viral warts can be spread through shared towel use," consultant dermatologist Dr Firas Al-Niaimi said to the Sun.

Molluscum, usually painless, causes small bumps on the skin that can be itchy. It can appear anywhere on the body and be worse for people afflicted with eczema.

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Infections usually take around six to nine months to clear and the body deals with it on its own. Some cases of molluscum have been recorded as taking up to four years to disappear fully, however.

Infections like molluscum cause small bumps on the skin that can be itchy (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Shamir Patel, founder of Chemist 4 U, added: "There are many bacteria that can thrive in such an environment, such as coliform and E.Coli, which can cause fever, abdominal cramping, and diarrhoea."

"It can also spread infections such as Staph, which is caused by the bacteria staphylococcus, resulting in skin infections that can include red bumps and lumps, sores, blisters and swollen skin.

"Fungal infections such as ringworm and athlete's foot can also be spread if towels become contaminated."

Towel sharers are not necessarily safe from viral warts, either. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common STI in which there were around 43 million infections in 2018 alone, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some types of HPV can cause genital warts that "usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area."

The health body added: "They can be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area."

HPV is the most commonly transmitted sexual disease in America. It is generally harmless and does not cause health problems, but high-risk HPV infections "can sometimes develop into cancer of the cervix," or lead to "other cancers, such as anal cancer."

For other diseases, the CDC said people should be careful not to "share towels, clothing, or water bottles," to avoid MRSA.

MRSA "most often causes skin infections," but in some cases can cause issues like pneumonia and other potential infections. It is resistant to antibiotics.

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