Is Hard Water Bad for Your Skin?

For most people, hard water does not cause adverse health effects. It’s not considered harmful to drink and, technically, it won’t harm your skin. However, bathing in hard water can aggravate a number of unpleasant skin problems and, for people who have chronic skin conditions such as eczema, the detrimental effects can be significant.

How Does Hard Water Affect Your Skin?

High concentrations of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium give hard water its name. They also cause all kinds of problems in homes throughout the Austin and San Antonio areas, and pretty much all of those problems are caused by limescale residue. The dissolved minerals in hard water simply don’t rinse away well, and they also form a chemical bond with soap that leaves behind a scummy residue. If you have hard water in your home, you can usually see evidence of this scaly substance in the filmy spots that linger on your dishes after washing or the crusty deposits that form on your faucets.

Unfortunately, when this residue remains on your skin, it can clog your pores, thus aggravating skin conditions such as acne. Those clogged pores can also prevent your body’s natural oils from moisturizing your skin, thus leading to a dry, itchy feeling. This can cause serious skin irritation for people whose skin is sensitive or who have eczema or psoriasis.

What Is the Best Solution?

Although there are moisturizing lotions on the market that claim to reduce the effects of hard water on skin, they are no substitute for banishing hard water from your home for good. To do that, you’ll need a reliable, professionally installed water softening system that will not only help your skin and hair stay healthy and looking their best but also eliminate a lot of the other problems associated with hard water. These problems include limescale buildup in your plumbing, which can lead to costly repairs or premature replacement.

Sweetwater Home Services is a longtime water treatment company that serves homeowners throughout Central Texas, and we’re ready to tackle your hard-water woes with one of the best water softeners on the market. Contact us today to learn more about our water softening systems and schedule a free water test at your home in Austin, San Antonio, or the Rio Grande Valley.