Most people are aware of the importance of clean, safe drinking water, thus pay great attention to the quality of the water they drink. Water in your tap may leave the treatment plant without contaminants, but it collects several contaminants from pipes, gas leaks, animal waste, industrial pollutants and sewer lines on its journey to the tap.
But those pathogens or contaminants in drinking water are not the only concern. In fact, the routine practice of disinfecting water with chemicals like chlorine carried out at water treatment plants can have a damaging impact on your health and wellbeing. Though chlorine is quite effective in reducing the level of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water, it may react with naturally occurring materials in water to form hazardous by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs ) and halogenic acetic acids (HAAs) which can be toxic when consumed, inhaled or applied to the skin. In some cases, excess amounts of chlorine itself may be present in a drinking water supply, which can also have negative effects on your health and your bodies’ beneficial bacteria.
Generally speaking, most of the naturally occurring and chemical contaminants may not be harmful and can even be beneficial to drink in moderation. But if high levels of compounds in disinfected water reach your gut, they can cause health problems like diarrhea, vomiting, irritation of the skin and many other acute conditions affecting hair, skin and overall health. And drinking water is not the only way contaminants and chemicals can get into your body, daily showers and baths also have a part to play.
Why Should I Filter Shower Water?
The research has brough up a remarkable theory that showering and bathing in chlorinated water can expose people to even more harmful effects of chlorine and by-products than drinking that disinfected water. While our bodies can take in moderate levels of chlorine from our drinking water without any health issues, the THMs and other disinfectant by-products you may inhale while showering with water that is heavily treated with chemicals, can directly get into our blood stream and cause much more harm.
Studies have revealed that the risk of cancer associated with chlorinated water may actually be due to showering or bathing with chlorinated water rather than drinking it. It has also been suggested that a single, ten-minute shower or a 30-minute bath can contribute to a greater internal dose of chloroform than drinking two litres of disinfected water.
Having said that, even if you filter your drinking water, the amounts of chloroform and trichloroethene you are exposed to from your daily shower or bath through skin absorption and inhalation, can be a cause of concern. Therefore, filtering your shower or bath water is as important as filtering your drinking water.
How Does a Shower Water Filter Help?
Most people don’t even think of what is actually present in their shower water like they think of what’s in their drinking water. You may not realise it but the same shower water you use to exfoliate, cleanse and scrub dirt and bacteria off your body may actually cause a number of health problems - from skin dryness, dullness and irritation to life-threatening diseases. This could be due to the chemicals present in the water coming out of the shower as well as microorganisms and bacteria around and inside the shower head itself.
Even a trace amount of chlorine in your shower water can bond to your skin and hair, stripping them of moisture and disrupting the balance of natural bacteria in your body that are necessary for the health of your skin. Not only does this result in dry, irritated skin but it also contributes to premature signs of aging, such as wrinkles and discoloration. The same goes for your hair – chlorinated shower water strips your hair of natural oils that moisturise hair follicles, leaving you with dry, frizzy hair and scaly and itchy scalp. So, without a shower head water filter, you may be allowing harmful compounds to come in contact with your skin and hair and cause damage.
By reducing your exposure to chemicals and toxins in the water, shower head filters restore your hair’s natural shine and texture while promoting healthier, softer skin by neutralising the level of chemicals in water. Investing in a shower water filter that softens water as well, would be even more beneficial and save you money with every bath. This is because soft water quickly forms lather with even a very little product, allowing you to use less soap, shampoo, and conditioner to get the job done.
What’s more, a shower head filter can also help you feel fitter. Do you sometimes feel more tired and worse after a long, hot shower than when you first got in? Chlorine absorption and inhalation might be blamed for this feeling. Exposing your body to higher concentrations of chlorine for a long period of time may result in physical fatigue, mental stress, and a lowered autoimmune function, making it harder for your body to fend off infectious and allergic reactions. Installing a shower filter will get rid of toxic vapours, leaving your mind and body rejuvenated after a shower.
THE TAKEAWAY
Gone are the days when shower filters were merely gimmicks for health enthusiast and skin- and health-conscious women. Now that studies have found that showering with disinfected water on a daily basis can cause even more harm to your skin, hair and overall health than drinking disinfected water, it makes sense to install a shower water filter in your bathroom.
Though installing a shower head filter is an effective and affordable way to ensure a great showering experience, choosing only the right filter will help you get the most out of your purchase. A good place to start when deciding what kind of shower head filter might be right for your house is to learn what’s in your water. Once you have this information, you can begin exploring your options in the market.
At Filter Systems Australia, we offer a huge variety of shower filters and accessories to meet unique needs of every household. If it is your first ever shower filter purchase, our experts are the only people you need to find the right one for your needs. Don’t forget to check out our other range of filters including caravan water filter, whole house water filter, benchtop units, undersink systems and more.
