Can Florida’s Hard Water Damage My Skin?

Hard water from a Florida shower

February 09, 2015

In short: no. There’s no conclusive evidence that hard water has any ill effects on your skin.

But showering in hard water can leave you feeling itchy… here’s why:

Hard water makes it more difficult to rinse off

When your water is “hard”, it contains dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals make it difficult for you to rinse everything off your body when you’re done washing.

This can leave soap film and residue on your skin, which causes you to feel itchy (although it doesn’t really dry out your skin.)

To fix this, try: Installing a water softener. Water softeners remove the calcium and magnesium minerals from your water, making it “softer”.

Showering (in any water) can dry out your skin

According to one study, “Bathing without moisturizer may compromise skin hydration.” And anyone who has to wash their hands frequently (nurses, teachers, etc.) can attest to that. Washing can really dry out your skin.

But it has nothing to do with the hardness of the water.
Soap strips your skin of natural oils that seal in moisture. And when the bath/shower water evaporates from your skin, it also takes some of the moisture from your skin with it.

To minimize this, try:

  • Taking cooler showers. Hot water encourages more moisture to evaporate.
  • Shortening your showers. The longer you’re in the shower, the more moisture that evaporates from your skin.
  • Showering less often.
  • Using soap with built-in moisturizers.

Have a water quality problem at your home? Plumbing Today can help! We serve communities through Florida.

Posted in: Tips

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