TikTok has a habit of bringing strange health issues to light. The latest is “boyfriend air” and its effects on women’s skin and hair.
#Boyfriendair has more than 37 million views on TikTok and the videos argue that the more time one spends with their male significant other the worse they look.
In various videos, women showcase what they looked like before and after spending time with at their male partners’ places. The end result is oily hair and skin, pimples forming on their skin the next day and an overall feeling of being dirty.
“I’m so happy people are talking about boyfriend air,” Taylor Donoghuee says at the start of her TIkTok. “I thought I was going crazy!”
Taylor explains how she took a full shower before seeing her boyfriend at his New York apartment. She confesses that she thought it was the New York water and maybe she wasn’t used to it. But Taylor said she feels disgusting after a stay with her partner.
So what’s the story behind boyfriend air?
A British study revealed that 45% of men in the U.K. admit that they don’t wash their sheets regularly. Some wait up to four months between washings, while another 12% say they only wash their sheets “when they remember.”
Studies have shown that bed sheets can be hosts to many bacteria, including staphylococcus aureus, which is contagious and causes skin infections, pneumonia and acne. Poor mattress hygiene can also store skin flakes, food particles and fungi.
Airborne allergens are also common in environments that aren’t regularly cleaned. Dusty floors and carpets, and dirty bedding and surfaces can lead to elements being trapped in the air. The more you inhale, the more dust and bacteria can get in your lungs.
While #boyfriendair might just be an “internet theory,” there are plenty of scientific studies that show the effects of dirty rooms on one’s health and personal hygiene.
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