THE MANY WAYS THAT HARD WATER CAN AFFECT SKIN HEALTH AND APPEARANCE

Almost 85% of American families live with the harmful effects of hard water caused by high mineral levels. Suppose you live in a hard water-prone area. In that case, you may have noticed unpleasant spots on your dishes and glassware, scaly accumulation on your faucets and fixtures, or stubborn soap residue that remains on your shower door from mineral deposits. Over time, these mineral deposits can damage large appliances and can cause plumbing problems.

Even though hard water is generally considered safe to drink, many people find that the same hard water deposits that affect their home may also have harmful effects on their skin’s appearance and health.

The Correlation Between Hard Water and Skin Health

When groundwater passes through limestone or chalk, it tends to collect varying amounts of magnesium and calcium. Depending on where you live, your water can also contain manganese, aluminum, or iron. Calcium content in hard water makes it difficult to break down soap, cleaners, shampoo, and detergents. Instead of rinsing cleanly, a considerable amount of detergent residue may be left behind, which can irritate your skin and damaging your hair. If you have been washing your clothes, showering, or bathing in hard water, you may notice some or all of the following issues:

• Feeling a film-like residue on your skin after bathing

• Rashes or skin irritation

• Limp, dull or straw-like hair

• Accelerated fading of color-treated hair

• Flaking skin or an itchy scalp

If you have hard water, you will also probably find that you need to use much more shampoo, soap, or cleansers than those specified on the product labels to work a sufficient amount of lather. This means that you will go through your favorite products much faster without experiencing a lot of results that you might have hoped for.

Skin Concerns Aggravated or Triggered by Hard Water

The same residue that dulls the shine on your kitchen faucet and spots your glassware also forms a similar film on your skin. This film can cause a significant amount of dehydration, irritation, and otherwise healthy skin damage. If you live in a hard water-prone area, you might consider how the mineral content of your tap water could affect the appearance and health of your skin. Only some of the many potential consequences may include:

• Increased Dryness and Flaking

Healthy skin has an even tone; it maintains the texture smooth and feels comfortable. The moisture of your skin forms a protective barrier against infection and irritation. Although a lot of people experience skin dryness in the winter months, a significant percentage of people who use hard water have dry skin, and it dries all year round. This is probably a direct result of trace minerals on the skin surface, absorbing moisture as lingering soap residues interrupt your skin’s natural PH balance. When your skin’s protective lipid barrier is interrupted by deposits of hard water and soap residue, your skin may feel uncomfortably tight or dry. It may appear dehydrated, even after using a moisturizer.

• Breakouts and Blemishes

The pores that can be seen on the surface of the skin are directly on the sebaceous glands, the oil-producing glands that keep the skin flexible. The oil produced in these glands plays another essential function, moving the skin’s dead cells from the lining of your pores to the surface of your skin. When cellular bacteria and debris are trapped in pores, the bacteria that break the trapped oil trigger a response from the immune system. Since minerals in hard water can change the consistency of oil produced in the skin from a liquid to a wax, hard water can contribute to clogged pores and breakouts even while non-comedogenic skincare products are used for blemish-prone skin.

• Aggravated Eczema Flares

Eczema is a chronic condition of the skin triggered by an overactive response of the immune system. People with eczema often develop patches of dry, uncomfortable rashes, itchy skin, and scaled lesions. Dermatitis, product fragrances, certain types of fabrics, and food sensitivities can often trigger symptom flares. The current research shows that people susceptible to eczema are more prone to the irritation, drying effects of hard water because of a specific mutation in the gene encoding a protein called filaggrin. Researchers believe that hard water calcium and magnesium ions interact with filaggrin in a way that damages the protective lipid barrier of the skin. This reaction makes people who live with eczema more sensitive to the effects of hard water.

• Accelerated Signs of Skin Aging

Over time, the skin loses some of its ability to repair and rejuvenate. The renewal of skin cells slows down, pores expand, and oil production decreases. Although it is believed that most visible signs of aging are caused by UV exposure, a considerable amount of evidence suggests that the calcium and magnesium content in hard water produces free radicals that can damage healthy skin cells and contribute to the breakdown of elastin and collagen. As elastin and collagen are essential to the firmness and elasticity of the skin, constant exposure to hard water can contribute to the formation of sagging skin, wrinkles, and fine lines.

Solutions

As hard water ravages your plumbing and leaves unpleasant deposits on glassware, the high mineral of its content can cause a considerable number of skin concerns. That probably explains why a lot of people invest in the appearance and health of their skin by enhancing the quality of water in their home with a water softening and filtration system. Unfortunately, many homeowners are buying undersized units that are unlikely to satisfy their needs.

To fight the effects of hard water in Cypress, Texas, contact Cypress Water Softener Company. Our fully programmable controls enable your water treatment professional to calibrate your system according to your specific needs. In addition, Cypress Water Softener Company offers the only water softener and filtration system on the market certified by WQA. This means that you don’t need a second unit to guarantee the purity and the quality of the water used to drink and cook.

Of course, the health and safety of our community are our highest priority. Contact Cypress Water Softener Company for a free water test, virtual demonstration, or more information about our contact-free product. We provide water softeners, filtration, and reverse osmosis systems for Cypress, Texas, and the surrounding areas.