We’re all looking for ways to stay young and keep our skin looking healthy as we age. Even with all the skin products that are available, sometimes it comes down to simple things like the water that you use. Let’s take a look at how your water quality could be affecting your skin.
Some people shower multiple times every day. If you were to talk to a professional hairstylist, they would probably tell you that shampooing your hair daily might not be beneficial. In fact, the chemicals in shampoo can break down the oils that keep your hair shiny and strong. (That’s why it’s common to use conditioners to replenish the oils that were stripped by the shampoo.) Your skin is very similar—your pores open up and produce oil that naturally moisturizes your skin, keeping it healthy. What does that have to do with water quality? Hardness or calcium dissolved in the water makes it harder for soap to do its job.
Put simply, calcium in hard water mixes with soap and renders it ineffective. If you have hard water, it’s very likely that soap residue is remaining on your skin when you shower. This residue clogs your pores and prevents the natural oils from being excreted. It doesn’t make much sense to buy a manmade skin moisturizer because you’re not letting your body’s natural oil do its job.
Soft water can result in using up to 75% less soap to achieve the same result. This benefit doesn’t end in the shower. Think about how much detergent you might use in your laundry. Because hard water doesn’t do as good of a job rinsing the detergent out of your clothes, it’s going to result in more detergent residue. Those chemicals are going to stay in the clothes you wear every day. As they rub against your skin, it can result in irritation, allergic reactions, and dryness.
I’m not an expert when it comes to different types of soaps, so I’m not going to recommend one product over another. What I can say is that no matter what product you use, you stand to benefit from having soft water. It’s especially important for children and adults who have sensitive skin. We’ve witnessed firsthand when families have skin issues that gradually go away after a water softener is installed.
If you or your family members have skin that’s itchy, dry, or irritated, it could be because of your home’s water quality. You can be on your way to better and healthier skin by making sure you have soft water. To find out if it would be a good idea to install a water softener in your home, just contact us online or give us a call today at (540) 685-0366.
