Hard Water & Facial Skin Problems

Hard water can exacerbate certain skin issues such as acne and eczema.

Many people who suffer from dry, red skin--and other skin irritations--have used every cream and lotion to combat it. But oftentimes they are unaware that the source of the problem is their water.

Identification

Calcium. You wouldn't want to rub this against your skin.

One way to imagine effect that hard water has on your skin is to envision millions of tiny pieces of calcium as rocks. These "rocks" are in contact with your skin when you bathe, shower or simply wash your face. This is comparable to taking a piece of sandpaper and rubbing it onto your skin.

Effects

If you have hard water, the natural oils in your body won't be enough to hydrate.

The "rocks" are actually bits of calcium that will aggravate skin--especially skin with pre-existing conditions such as eczema or psoriasis or other types of dermatitis--and they can clog pores as well. If you have hard water, the natural oils in your body will not usually be enough to hydrate the skin so that it is sufficiently moisturized.

Acne Problems

Acne treatments will not be as potent with hard water usage.

People who suffer from acne often become frustrated when using hard water because it often appears that the acne treatments they use are not working properly. If you do suffer from acne and your water is hard, keep a misting bottle of soft water in your bathroom and use this to wash your face.

Shaving Problems

Hard water makes shaving difficult--and painful.

Shaving is much easier with soft water because hard water dries out the skin and doesn't allow the razor to glide as easily as it would with soft water. Keeping a bottle of soft water for facial shaving in the bathroom can help men work up a better lather and allow for easier razor gliding.

Irritation To Blood Vessels

With hard water use, skin becomes thinner--leading to flushing.

According to Skin MD/Natural, clinical studies have shown that hard water not only irritates the skin but the blood vessels as well. Participants noticed increased irritation, redness and dryness. Hard water also causes skin to become thinner and irritates blood vessels--causing flushing and rosacea.

Prevention/Solution

Soap used with hard water can lead to further skin irritation.

If you have hard water, the best solution is to use a water softener. After the softener's installation, you should notice a tremendous difference in your skin's look and feel. If you are unable to use a water softener, DermaHarmony recommends taking shorter showers/baths, using fewer soap products, using store-bought water for facial cleansing and applying shielding lotions to protect your skin from the hard water.

References

• Skin MD Natural: Is Hard Water Causing Your Dry Skin?
• DermaHarmony: Hard Water & Facial Skin Problems