4 Celebs Who Would Rather Skip Toilet Paper

Wiping has come a long way since the 19th-century pioneer days of bathroom hygiene that involved using dried corn cobs and ripped-out pamphlet pages to clean off folks' privates and buttocks. Now, society has toilet paper, which is a definite improvement (with the 1960s colored toilet paper everyone had in their bathroom adding a designer touch). That said, many celebrities have shared their deepest TMI confessions when it comes to how they like to get clean after using the commode, and some have implied they prefer using an alternative to traditional toilet paper.

Not all doctors are fond of toilet paper, either. "I've had patients come in with itching and irritation, which they thought was a yeast infection or eczema flare, only to discover that the culprit was their toilet paper," dermatologist Dr. Hannah Kopelman shared with Time Magazine. Meanwhile, colorectal surgeon Dr. Stephanie Breukink told The Jerusalem Post, "Macroscopically, wiping with toilet paper may make [the rear end] a bit clean, but microscopically, it is not at all." With that said, the stars who aren't into toilet paper may have some medically backed support, as well as some interesting back(side) stories that give context on why they'd rather skip the toilet paper as much as possible.

During a 2014 appearance on "Conan," funnyman Kumail Nanjiani seemed serious when he recalled his first experience using a bidet in Singapore, describing the moment as having "changed [his] life forever." The comedian added that he couldn't buy a bidet for his home at the time, as he was renting. However, his gushing about the bidet certainly sounded as if he was ready to skip toilet paper whenever it was convenient.

Nanjiani's humorous public service announcement-style routine may have elicited laughs, but it wasn't necessarily a joke. After all, in the past decade, many celebrities, like Adrienne Bailon and Kim Kardashian, have chosen to outfit their bathrooms with bidets. But do we really have bathroom cleanliness all wrong? Science says that perhaps we do.

A 2021 study in the Journal of Water and Health found that people who use bidets end up with substantially less fecal matter on their hands after wiping than those who use toilet paper. Thus, bidets might stop some of the spread of bacteria and germs, especially among those who might not wash their hands. In a 2020 YouGov handwashing poll, 10% of people said they occasionally wash their hands after using the bathroom, 4% said they rarely do, and 1% said they never bother to wash their hands at all.

In a 2004 interview with the Santa Monica Daily Press, actor Will Smith admitted that he found pre-moistened wipes to be the superior way to get his backside spotless. He even had an argument for why he embraced medicated wet towelettes: "Think about it — if somebody put excrement on your arm, would you wipe it with dry toilet paper? No, you wouldn't."

What do doctors say about using the wet wipes? When Dr. Evan Goldstein spoke with theSkimm, the surgeon gave pre-moistened wipes a surprising thumbs down. He explained, "While wet wipes make you think you're getting your bum cleaner, they can actually cause myriad complications." Dr. Goldstein went on to list some of those conditions, such as bacterial infections, sensitive rear end tissue fissures, and hemorrhoids.

Dr. Caren Campbell also cautioned against using moistened wipes rather than toilet paper while speaking to NBC News. The dermatologist said that people who use wet wipes may experience a dermatological condition called pruritus ani (aka itching anus), though she clarified that unless this happens to you, it should otherwise be fine to use wet wipes instead of toilet paper.

Speaking to Elle in 2011 (via Vibe), musician Will.i.am described his perfect woman as someone who keeps baby wipes in the bathroom — and not just so she could take off her makeup. He raved about being able to use them as a substitute for regular toilet paper and laid out his reasoning for appreciating pre-moistened wipes: "Get some chocolate, wipe it on a wooden floor, and then try to get it up with some dry towels. You're going to get chocolate in the cracks. That's why you gotta get them baby wipes."

Was the Black Eyed Peas frontman's logic airtight? Colorectal surgeon Dr. Alex Elias didn't seem enthusiastic about encouraging people to try wet wipes when speaking with HuffPost. Explained Dr. Elias, "The irritation caused by wet wipes...can be secondary to certain ingredients and preservatives, the disruption of good bacteria, and even the residual moisture left behind." People with eczema, dry skin, or other dermatological afflictions may also want to steer clear of wet wipes.

Comedian Michael Che sent out a splashy and positive message to viewers regarding bidets during a December 2018 episode of "Saturday Night Live" (via Daily American). "People need to know about bidets. I just got one and it's changed my life," he raved on air, calling the rear-cleaning alternative to toilet paper "glorious."

Are bidets actually as great as Che made them out to be? In an Q&A article for The Washington Post, Dr. Trisha Pasricha gave them a clean bill of health. "I recommend [bidets] all the time for my patients with loose stools, like in irritable bowel syndrome, who find constant wiping makes their skin raw," she acknowledged. "Bidets are also excellent for anyone who might struggle with balance or coordination reaching back to wipe." Dr. Pasricha also highlighted how environment-friendly and cost-efficient bidets can be, as well as how easy it is to install one at home.