Spring is finally here and we’re glad to say goodbye to the dry, itchy skin and tight scalp generally associated with dry, cold winter months. However, some people deal with these skin conditions (or much worse) all year long.
Eczema is a chronic skin condition that affects an estimated 35 million Americans: 20 percent of children aged up to 11 years old and 8 percent of teenagers and adults suffer from eczema.
Those with eczema may experience recurring skin rashes, crusting, flaking, weeping, inflammation, cracking skin and more. There a variety of different triggers that can exacerbate the conditions of eczema such as soaps, detergents, pets, and heat. Sometimes, eczema flareups may also be triggered by diet or stress.
Is there a connection between eczema and hard water?
One environmental factor that may be worth a closer look — is hard water. It has been suggested that the water we bathe in and wash our clothes with may be aggravating eczema, causing skin flare-ups and conditions to worsen. Hard water is water with a higher-than-normal mineral content. Dry, itchy and scaly skin is one of the most common consequences of these excess minerals (hard water) on skin.
Do people in hard water areas suffer more from eczema?
Many believe that people suffer from eczema more in “hard water areas” and here’s why:
Hard water contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron– which can dry and harden on the skin leaving it tight and itchy.
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Hard water makes it more difficult to wash soaps from the skin’s surface- possibly making it more irritated.
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Hard water requires more soap for washing (as much as 70% more soap) which translates to potentially more skin contact.
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Hard water leaves soap scum and rings that require more household cleaning and exposure to harsh chemicals, detergents and even (hard) water.
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Laundering with hard water often leaves minerals or soap residue on the surface of bedding and clothes, causing irritation when it comes in contact with the skin.
According to Skinsmatter.com*, a study conducted in England found that:
“Primary school children living in hard water areas are almost 50% more likely to have eczema than those living in a softer water area. Similar mapping studies carried out in Spain and in Japan have found higher incidence of eczema in areas of the country which are supplied with hard water than in naturally soft water areas.”
If you’ve wondered if you live in a “hard water area” and want to learn more about the effects of hard water, we invite you download our HARD WATER GUIDE.
Soft Water May Be the Answer
There are a variety of different remedies designed to give relief to those with eczema, such as topical creams, moisturizers, and lotions. However, soft water may be the best remedy of all.
Many of our customers with skin conditions have experienced a noticeable improvement in their skin conditions after installing WaterTech’s Reionator water conditioner. Here are few of the comments we’ve received:
- Our daughter had skin problems and her allergist recommended installing a water softener. Once the Reionator was installed, it only took us two weeks to see the difference and now three months later, all of her skin lesions are gone.
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Our family has suffered from dry skin problems. Since we started using [The Reionator] water conditioning system, the improvement in our skin condition has been unbelievable.
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After showering, my wife would experience swelling and blotching of the skin and particularly of the facial tissues. Sometimes she would have to wait two hours to allow the blotches to disappear. Since the installation of the Reionator, she has not experienced any occurrence of the skin problems.
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Our six-year-old daughter developed a rash as a baby. After years of prescriptions and expensive over-the-counter creams, we tried your water system [The Reionator] and her rash cleared up. …Your system really works!
Your local authorized WaterTech dealer can provide you with a thorough water analysis and walk you through all of the options to help you understand what system(s) may be the right fit for you.
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*http://www.skinsmatter.com/eczema_and_skin_conditions/eczema_treatments/articles/water-softeners-eczema-01-13.html