Did you know that chlorine water in shower water can be harmful to your health?
Shower water typically has as much chlorine as in an average swimming pool. The city uses this chemical to disinfect municipal water. And, while it works well to keep our water safe from microbiological contaminants. Unfortunately, chlorine is most certainly not good for health and is extremely irritating to the skin and lungs.
During bathing and showering we are especially susceptible to the potentially harmful effects of chlorine. Warm water opens the skin’s pores allowing for a higher absorption rate of the chemical. There are also other possibly harmful contaminants that lurk in city water. Absorption isn’t the only concern when bathing or showering in tap water. Another danger is the inhalation of chemicals in the steam from the shower.
THE DANGERS OF INHALING STEAM IN THE SHOWER
Taking deep relaxing breaths in a long, hot shower may not be the best idea. Chlorine has a very low boiling point and vaporizes quickly in hot water. This causes the steam in the shower to become concentrated with as much as 20 times the level of chlorine that’s coming out of the tap. Unsurprisingly, this is being inhaled directly into the lungs.
Most concerning is that unlike drinking chlorinated water, both inhalation and absorption allow the chemicals to go directly to the bloodstream. In doing so, it bypasses the body’s natural filtration systems (the kidney and liver).
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CHLORINE IN SHOWER WATER
Chlorine chemical exposure can be irritating as well as potentially damaging to health. The effects can range from mild to severe. This can be based on many factors including how much chlorine is in the water and the duration of exposure over time. Below are some of the most recognized potential adverse effects of chlorine exposure.
- Irritant to the eyes, upper respiratory and the lungs (can exasperate asthma or respiratory issues)
- Hair Loss
- Dry skin and brittle hair (can exasperate skin issues like eczema and psoriasis)
- Throat irritation
- Pulmonary edema
- Excessive free radical formation, which can result in accelerated aging
- Development of certain cancers (linked to the byproducts of chlorine)
HOW TO GET RID OF CHLORINE IN YOUR SHOWER WATER
You could avoid showers altogether but let’s face it, that’s not very realistic. There’s a far better (and less stinky) solution. The simplest and most cost-effective solution is a carbon-based whole-house filtration system. These water filter systems will provide you and your family with safer, cleaner water throughout the entire home.
Remember if you don’t have a filter YOU are the filter!
Sources: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/chlorine.pdf