Filtered Shower Water Holds Skin-to-Health Value

Who knew that one of the most valuable products you can use for your skin and health is a water filter for the shower? According to recent research, showering in filtered water is possibly even more important than drinking filtered water (although both are highly recommended).

Researchers at Rutgers University found that during a 10-minute shower, we take in the same levels of chloroform (a toxic byproduct of chlorine) that we ingest from drinking 2 liters of tap water. When taking a hot shower, the pores of your skin open up and cause the absorption rate of chlorine and other chemicals to accelerate. The steam you inhale can have concentrations of chemicals that are as much as 10 to 15 times higher than unheated tap water. If you have spent time in a pool, you know how chlorine can deplete your skin and hair of valuable moisture. From a beauty standpoint, the chlorine in your tap water can actually strip colored hair of its hue, contribute to dry skin and aggravate skin conditions. Water filtration doesn’t seem to get the attention that carrying a reusable shopping bag or using a glass water bottle does. But it’s of paramount importance because we drink, cook and shower every day.

In 2010, the President’s Cancer Panel, along with eating organic food and avoiding plastic, recommended installing both drinking water and shower water filters as one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from developing cancer.

How do you know what kind of filter to use? If you don’t have the time to do the proper research, just buy one – better to protect yourself than wait. Here is one that I use – Rainshower Water Filter. It’s reasonably priced (under $50 USD) and comes with or without a shower head. It also comes with an easily replaceable cartridge (replace every three months). It’s also really easy to install.

If you have the time to research, this is what I suggest:

1) Test your tap. Find out what is in your water. You should receive a municipal water report in the mail every year. This helps you to know what to look for in a water filter, because not every filter can remove every contaminant. (If you’re on well water, find an EPA-approved water-testing company to check your water for bacteria, heavy metals, and other harmful substances). For a copy of your town’s latest report, enter your zip code in the Environmental Working Group’s National Drinking Water Database.

2) Find the right filter. Not all water filters are created equally. To filter out chlorine, be sure to look for NSF/ANSI Standard 177: Shower Filtration Systems – Aesthetic Effects, which means it is third-party tested to effectively remove chlorine. If your water test turns up elevated levels of other contaminants, make sure you buy a filter that is certified to remove them.

The American Journal of Public Health linked chlorine to “significant increases in certain types of cancer, asthma and skin irritations” and determined that “up to two-thirds of the harmful exposure was due to skin absorption and inhalation of chlorine in shower water.”

Don’t be fooled by what you can’t see. After my first shower using a shower filter, I noticed immediately that my skin felt softer (and that is without using my favorite body exfoliant – Turkish Body Scrub with eucalyptus). It’s a true enhancement to your skincare and health regimen. Small (or not so small) upgrades add up. The benefits are well worth the modest investment.

And remember, if you don’t filter out contaminants, your body will work hard to filter them out for you.

With love,
Charlene

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