Just a quick question about the quality of water hitting our hair and skin

[peppers01]

I've known for a while that tap water is horrible for the skin and hair and recently since I've started coming on LHCF, I've been thinking about getting a showerhead filter. Well actually I've been compiling a list of all the products and extras that I wanted to get to make my hair retaining process and overall health, better. I just added to that list, getting a showerhead filter.

If we have all these unhealthy metals and chlorine in our water, just imagine how much better our skin and hair would feel and be healthy if we changed that! I wanted to know how many of you ladies actually have a filter, and if so what are some of the benefits that you have noticed??

Here's more info on tap water:

http://www.thefreewatereport.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=2

 

[~Hair~Fetish~]

Good post.... I'm curious as well.

 

[changedlife]

I don't have a shower filter because I can't find one that fit in my shower, in my current apartment , but the minerals in water affect our hair and skin.

 

[Tybi]

I have a shower head filter from Home Depot. When I lived in my apartment, it filtered the chlorine and other hard water metals. My shampoo and body wash lathered better, and my hair and skin were much softer. My hair would become more tangled before I installed the filter.

At my house now we have well water and already have a water softener and whole house filter installed so I don't really need the filter, but I put it on anyway just in case any sediment comes through. It also helps with any odor that may come through with the water.

I will never be without a shower filter now. They are too cheap and easy to install, and the benefits are noticeable. Chlorine is not good to inhale, and who knows what else might be coming through.

So depending on the quality of water in your area, you should start experiencing softer and more manageable hair immediately. I use the Sprite filter form Home Depot that costs about $30 and needs to be changed every 6 months or so, with replacement filters costing about $7. And the pressure it puts out is unbelievable!
Sorry so long

 

[ShaniKeys]

I plan on getting one from www.aquasanastore.com, in case I don't find it locally.

 

[peppers01]

Thank for the listing home depot cause I was gonna buy online, but duh:covereyes! Get it local, no shipping and handling!

I have a shower head filter from Home Depot. When I lived in my apartment, it filtered the chlorine and other hard water metals. My shampoo and body wash lathered better, and my hair and skin were much softer. My hair would become more tangled before I installed the filter.

At my house now we have well water and already have a water softener and whole house filter installed so I don't really need the filter, but I put it on anyway just in case any sediment comes through. It also helps with any odor that may come through with the water.

I will never be without a shower filter now. They are too cheap and easy to install, and the benefits are noticeable. Chlorine is not good to inhale, and who knows what else might be coming through.

So depending on the quality of water in your area, you should start experiencing softer and more manageable hair immediately. I use the Sprite filter form Home Depot that costs about $30 and needs to be changed every 6 months or so, with replacement filters costing about $7. And the pressure it puts out is unbelievable!
Sorry so long

 

[peppers01]

You can actually get an extension so that it fits your shower head pipe.

I don't have a shower filter because I can't find one that fit in my shower, in my current apartment , but the minerals in water affect our hair and skin.

 

[Junebug D]

I was thinking about getting that Shower water softener but that's a bit of a luxury for me right now. I may just get the Sprite filter to hold me out in the meantime.

 

[peppers01]

Thanks for that! I just read up on it, and added that page to my favorites. Is definitely on my wish list, but I too will be getting the sprite filter for right now.

I was thinking about getting that Shower water softener but that's a bit of a luxury for me right now. I may just get the Sprite filter to hold me out in the meantime.

 

[vkb247]

At my house now we have well water

What's wrong with well water? Is all tap water really bad?

 

[peppers01]

I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that well water is soft water, but because it's underground it has a nature type of smell to it and some sediments may be in the water. No, not all tap water is necessarily bad, it depends what part of the country you live in. Click the link that Shan 2001 has on her reply and it shows a map of the US and whether or not the water in that area is soft to hard.

What's wrong with well water? Is all tap water really bad?

 

[Tybi]

What's wrong with well water? Is all tap water really bad?

It stinks! And it is full of dissolve minerals and sediment such as rust, rocks. I live in Florida and we even get seashells!

Anyway well water comes from the aquifer, deep below the surface. It passes over rocks which causes there to be a high level of dissolved minerals, making the water extremely hard. Tap/city water on the other hand is usually surface water from a local pond or river. The water has less dissolved minerals making more "soft" than well water. Plus city water is treated at the city plant with chlorine which kills bacteria and microorganisms. So it is usually safer than water from a private well which is straight from the ground untreated.

The quality of city water depends on the city, some cities grade higher that others in quality. It is periodically tested for level of dissolved substances etc. This should all be public record as well. But mainly its the chlorine that is not good to inhale. Water filters filter it out before it gets to you.
HTH!

This ridicuosly long PSA has been brought to you by tigerlily, resident nerd.

 

[Tybi]

I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that well water is soft water, but because it's underground it has a nature type of smell to it and some sediments may be in the water. No, not all tap water is necessarily bad, it depends what part of the country you live in. Click the link that Shan 2001 has on her reply and it shows a map of the US and whether or not the water in that area is soft to hard.

Read sulfur: rotten eggs and sometimes a dirty pond like smell. Not good for your nightly bath!

 

[Tybi]

Thank for the listing home depot cause I was gonna buy online, but duh:covereyes! Get it local, no shipping and handling!

Yes! I used to order my Culligan online from Target before Home Depot started selling theirs. Much more convenient

 

[melodies815]

At the moment, hubby and I live in Britain (we'll be home June 2009, praise God!!!) and where we live, the water is HARD. It's so hard that it breaks normal household appliances without interventions like a limescale buildup remover. No joke!

So...I didn't know that I would HAVE to get a filter, even though after getting out of the shower, even my skin was dry and crunchy.

I don't have a shower filter, but I now use an ultra moisturizing body creme to wash and I use a Brita pitcher filter when washing my hair when it's not in braids. It takes forever, but this is what I noticed:

* hair stopped shedding and breaking. I lost 4-5 inches the first year here!!!
* hair held moisture better
* hair held curls better
* low to no split ends
* I now have length retention for the first time since moving here

When we get back to NC, I won't have to have a filter b/c our water is medium soft. But I think I will get one anyway because our pollutants are worse in the US than they are here...limescale is good, but it's waaaaaayyy too drying.

HTH

cj

 

[peppers01]

It's official I'm going to Home Depot Saturday morning to get mine. I'll come back after using it a while to document what changes. Thanks ladies for your feedback!

 

[Muse]

I just bought a Sprite shower filter yesterday. I am washing my hair tomorrow so I will see if it makes a difference. I also picked up a few test strips and tested my water before putting the filter on. It turns out my water is soft which is good now I have the filter to get rid of any chlorine that may be causing dryness.

 

[peppers01]

I can't wait to get mine! I may go today after work and get mine cause I'm washing my hair tomorrow.

I just bought a Sprite shower filter yesterday. I am washing my hair tomorrow so I will see if it makes a difference. I also picked up a few test strips and tested my water before putting the filter on. It turns out my water is soft which is good now I have the filter to get rid of any chlorine that may be causing dryness.

 

[Cassandra1975]

I have a shower head filter from Home Depot. When I lived in my apartment, it filtered the chlorine and other hard water metals. My shampoo and body wash lathered better, and my hair and skin were much softer. My hair would become more tangled before I installed the filter.

At my house now we have well water and already have a water softener and whole house filter installed so I don't really need the filter, but I put it on anyway just in case any sediment comes through. It also helps with any odor that may come through with the water.

I will never be without a shower filter now. They are too cheap and easy to install, and the benefits are noticeable. Chlorine is not good to inhale, and who knows what else might be coming through.

So depending on the quality of water in your area, you should start experiencing softer and more manageable hair immediately. I use the Sprite filter form Home Depot that costs about $30 and needs to be changed every 6 months or so, with replacement filters costing about $7. And the pressure it puts out is unbelievable!
Sorry so long

I have that same filter and totally agree with everything you just said. I got mine from Lowe's. I just installed it a couple of weeks ago...I really wish I had gotten it sooner. I can already tell a difference in my hair...it feels much softer. My skin is not as dry, either.

 

[Austro-Afrikana]

I bought one a couple of weeks ago. Mine is a uk water filter and is a filter and water softener in 1. It also reduces bacteria.i also bought a brita filter and have been drinkin way more water even when im not thirsty.
My hair is noticeably softer already, not as dry at all. And my skin, well i am not using as much moisturiser. Even if its just a placebo effect, i feel that filters have made a difference.

 

[adw425]

I have a shower filter and bath tub filter as well as a water filter for my kitchen tap for drinking water, but I do not have filter for my two bathroom taps. I got my shower and bathtub filters a year ago almost exactly and the differences in my hair and skin were immediately noticeable.

 

[naturalborn]

I wash my hair with bottle water. I buy two jugs. One to rinse the shampoo, the other for the conditioner. I started doing this because I am currently living in Ecuador. When I first came to Ecuador my hair started to turn brittle and dry because of the minerals in the water. I had braids in at the time. When I took out the braids, I lost a lot of my hair because of the water. I am now trying to grow it back. So I will be doing the bottled water for the next 7 months I am here

 

[peppers01]

Well I said that I would be updating after getting my shower filter. I actually got a sprite filter from home depot. I've had it for a month, and what a difference. My hair is a lot softer, and so is my skin. The soap lathers up so richly now, without using the whole bottle. I'm suppose to replace the filter every 6 months, so in July I'll be replacing the it.

 

[Junebug D]

I got a Sprite filter too. My skin is so much more softer now! I noticed the difference in less than a week and it's a remarkable change too. Some days I just sit around and touch myself like "Whose skin is this?" My hair feels softer too, and my soap & shampoos lather better.

 

[yodie]

Well I said that I would be updating after getting my shower filter. I actually got a sprite filter from home depot. I've had it for a month, and what a difference. My hair is a lot softer, and so is my skin. The soap lathers up so richly now, without using the whole bottle. I'm suppose to replace the filter every 6 months, so in July I'll be replacing the it.

I just brought this same filter from Home Depot. I decided that I will NEVER go without a filter again. A small purchase makes a huge difference. It's only been a week, but I'm sure I'll notice the difference within the months to come.

 

[saved06]

See this is why I need to stay off this board lol ... I just came back from Home Depot .....and got a SmartWater GE filter. I put it in myself, it was very easy and you don't need plummer tape and all that.
But it makes sense, we expose ourselves to that water everyday and our pores are open in the hot shower absorbing those chemicals, I'm starting to think that is why my skin is suffering so bad. I even got a Brita filter, I am going to filter my bottle water too

 

[saved06]

Taking a shower is an essential step to everyone’s morning routine. However what one might not realize is the dangers that are literally pouring out on the body through the shower head. Because of the way water is chemically treated ,it can cause serious health problems as well as beauty disasters. Our water today is causing our bodies to age before their time.
How shower filters benefit health

Chlorine is often used to purify water for drinking and bathing. However, chlorine is very dangerous to health. Some of the health problems chlorine can cause are: cell damage, heart disease, bladder and breast cancers, hardening of arteries, respiratory complications, complications with asthma and bronchitis, and irritation to the nose and throat.
Also, a shower filter can help increase energy. Chlorine is a leading cause of fatigue. Using a shower filter can increase energy levels as well as help prevent major health problems.
How does chlorine cause these serious health problems?
Without getting too technical, 50% of exposure to chlorine happens in the shower. Part is done through the skin absorbing the chemical and the other is by inhaling the vapors released through a hot shower. The heat from a hot shower releases the chlorine vapors and can contaminate the lungs.
How shower filters benefit beauty

A shower filter will also help enhance one's natural beauty. Not only is chlorine incredibly damaging to the internal parts of the body, it is also as damaging to the outside of the body. Chlorine can cause the skin to become dry and damaged. Damaged skin can cause aging and wrinkles, lose its natural moisture, and can cause skin rashes. The use of a shower filter can prevent the need for expensive moisturizers and lotions
Chlorine will also dry hair out. By using a shower filter hair will stay more moisturized, prevent static electricity, prevent split-ends, and color in color-treated hair will last longer.
After using a shower filter in a matter of days it is easy to notice the difference it makes in hair and skin. Hair will become shinier, more manageable and sometimes the hair will begin to “heal” itself from the damage that chlorine had caused prior. The skin will have a natural glow as well as be less dry. Elasticity to the skin may begin to return that was one loss because of the drying effect chlorine can have.

Read more: "Benefits of Shower Head Filters: Increase Health and Beauty By Installing Filters in the Shower" - http://beauty-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/shower_filters#ixzz09s2jBoeL

 

[Jenn22588]

I bought a GE filter from Home Depot when I moved. I after a week of cowashing in my new place my hair was so dry. There was an immediate difference the first time I used the filter. I will never be without a shower filter again.

 

[Dposh167]

subscribing

 

[cocoagirl]

I use the Paragon shower filter from Home Depot, it cost $19.99 I believe. The replacement filter is $9.99, I ordered mine online b/c my Home Depot didn't carry it. I definitely think it has helped some but I don't have any scientific proof, lol. My skin isn't as dry but it is still dry, guess there's no getting round' that...