The struggle to find a cure for acne has prolonged for decades. New, more innovative approaches to curing this disorder have surfaced, yet millions continue to live with acne on a daily basis. If you ask a dermatologist or skin care professional what can cause or otherwise aggravate acne, you will get a thousand responses. Toothpaste, shampoo, detergent, and a countless number of other things can adversely affect our skin. However, why is that so many of us fail to consider the substance that interacts with many of these things: water? Water is something that constantly comes into contact with our skin. If you are someone who has seen little success in the way of treating acne with topical and/or oral treatments, yet consistently care for your skin and eat well, your home’s water supply may be the culprit.

For the purposes of this article, there are only two broad categories of water with which we are concerned with: hard and soft water. Hard water is a term used to describe water with a high mineral content. It is the most common type of water distributed to homes in the United States. This form of water comes with some baggage, namely hard water deposits and soap scum. These nuisances can render bathroom fixtures quite unsightly. If this water has so many drawbacks, why is it in such widespread use? For starters, it is far less corrosive than soft water. It doesn’t require any expensive treatment for preparation like soft water does. Hard water collects minerals, predominantly Calcium and Magnesium, as it flows through the ground.

Soft water is essentially the exact opposite of soft water. It contains negligible traces of minerals, leaving only pure water. It is available in smaller percentages around the United States, and is often avoided for its corrosive properties. Hard water is converted to soft water though a process known as distillation. The water is boiled, allowing the pure water vapor to rise and the minerals to remain. The resulting vapor in liquid state is soft water.

Hard water is not optimal for use in skin care applications. Water, when combined with soap, should form a lather. This lather provides for a cleaning effective. However, creating a lather is difficult with hard water unless harmful additives are included. Rather than forming a lather, the soap reacts with hard water to form soap scum. Soap scum clings to whatever it comes into contact with, including glass doors and shower tiling. Soap scum also clings to our skin, forming an irritation inducing layer.

The unfavorable effects of hard water can be reduced or eliminated by taking some simple steps. A more costly option involves implementing a water softening system in your home. Water softeners substitute Sodium ions for the minerals present in hard water. A cheaper solution entails replacing shower heads and other bathroom fixtures regularly, as to prevent added hardening of water from accumulated mineral deposits. Purchasing bottled water to cleanse your face with (such as distilled water) is also an affordable option. The water can be used in conjunction with a spray bottle for more convenience.