What's Really In Your Shower Water?
Chlorine
Water treatment facilities add chlorine to the water to kill viruses & bacteria naturally found in freshwater sources, but that doesn't mean you should shower in it.
HARMFUL EFFECTS: Exposure to chlorine and its byproducts have been linked to: dry hair, dry skin, skin irritation, birth defects, increased asthma and cancer risk.
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals enter into our water system in two ways; firstly through industrial, municipal and urban run off and secondly through seeping into underground water and supplies.
HARMFUL EFFECTS: Exposure to heavy metals have been linked to: learning difficulties, memory impairment, damage to the nervous system, and behavioral problems such as aggressiveness and hyperactivity.
Want to find out exactly what contaminants are in your water?
Step 1: Click here to visit www.EWG.org/tapwater
Step 2: Then type in your zip code and you'll see your water supplier and an up to date list of contaminants
History of Chlorine Use
Here's what you need to know about chlorine and its uses.
Experimental use of chlorine in drinking water began in the 1890's to combat water-borne diseases such as Cholera and Typhoid. Chlorine quickly gained wide acceptance because of the low cost and high efficiency it had in killing just about everything hazardous in the drinking water. The use of chlorine allowed population centers to appear and thrive without any epidemic outbreaks. Today however, we know more about chlorine and why it is so important to remove it from our water before we drink it, cook with it, or shower in it. Chlorine is a known poison and the safety of drinking this poison over a long-term period is highly uncertain. We now know that chlorine reacts with water-borne decaying organic matter like leaves, bark, sediment, etc. to create a family of other chlorinated organic compounds, which may be highly toxic.
The major expansion of worldwide production of chlorine in the mid-20th century followed discovery of a multitude of diverse and beneficial applications. Some (e.g. the pesticide DDT and PCBs, widely used as lubricants and coolants in electrical equipment) were originally praised as major health or industrial advances, but later aroused environmental concerns and are now banned.
Excerpts from Studies and Reports
“Taking long hot showers is a health risk, according to research presented last week in Anaheim, California, at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Showers, and to a lesser extent baths, lead to greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in water supplies than does drinking the water. The chemicals evaporate out of the water and are inhaled. They can also spread through the house and be inhaled by others. House holders can receive 6 to 100 times more of the chemical by breathing the air around showers and bath than they would by drinking the water.” [1]
“Conservative calculations indicate that taking a shower exposes you to the equivalent of consuming an additional two liters of chlorinated water each day. Inhalation and skin absorption of chloroform and chlorine by-products is greatest in the shower, where these gases are vaporized.” [2]
“The National Academy of Sciences estimate that 200 to 1000 people die in the United States each year from cancers caused by ingesting the contaminants in water. The major health threat posed by these pollutants is far more likely to be from their inhalation as air pollutants. The reason that emissions are high is that because water droplets dispersed by the shower head have a larger surface-to-value ratio than water streaming into the bath.” [3]
“Epidemiological studies suggest a link between ingestion of toxic chemicals in the water and elevated cancer mortality risks.” [4]
“Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water.” [5]
“While the purity of our drinking water is of primary importance, contaminants and chlorine byproducts also enter our bodies through the skin via the water in which we bathe. Also, our lungs absorb toxic fumes from the gaseous chlorine byproducts that are released in a steamy shower. Chlorine in shower water can strip protein from our hair and skin causing dry, irritated eyes, itchy skin, and dandruff.” [6]
“The total inhalation exposure (summation of the three scenarios; shower, pre- and post-cooking activities and cooking) was found to be comparable with that for direct ingestion, indicating that inhalation is an important pathway for THM exposure from drinking water.” [7]
“Although ingestion is commonly considered to be the primary source of exposure to chloroform from tap water, inhalation and skin absorption exposure concentrations were found to be even higher.” [8]
“Skin absorption of contaminant has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure.” [9]
Benefits of filtering your shower water
Better Skin
Chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can damage the skin. Men and women agreed their skin felt more youthful & less dry after just 4 weeks of use with the AquaYouth 2.0 shower filter. They also reported increased skin hydration and an improved evenness of skin tone.
Better Hair
The same damage that occurs to your skin, also occurs to your hair. Men and women agreed their hair felt less dry and had a more natural shine after just 4 weeks of use. They also reported less dryness and an increase in hair volume.
Better Health
Showering in tap water in the can even compromise your health. 3 out of 4 homes in the US have tap water containing contaminants that exceed safe water limits.
According to a recent article in National Geographic Magazine, "Depending on the source of contamination and the exposure, health effects include neurological problems and developmental disabilities in children (lead), interference with hormones (perchlorates), and increased risk of cancers of the skin, bladder, and kidney (arsenic).” Rhea Suh, National Geographic."
Introducing the AquaYouth 2.0 Shower Filter
Certified & Trusted Performance: In an industry saturated with unvalidated and exaggerated performance claims, you can rest assured knowing that AquaYouth has invested in third party testing and certification by the water filtration industry's leading authorities, NSF International, in order to prove our performance.
The Reviews Are In: Over 1,000+ five-star reviews from customers just like you.
Powerful Multi-Stage Water Filtration: Very effectively targets chlorine, heavy metals, rust, sand, bacteria, and other sediments for superior water purification.
Superior Design: AquaYouth's modern, sleek, and durable design is built to last and will improve the aesthetic of any shower. The design also makes for easy filter replacements.
Quick & Easy Installation: Attaches to your existing shower configuration in just minutes with no special tools required.
Shop AquaYouth 2.0 Products Below
Sources:
- Anderson, I., “Showers pose a risk to health”, New Scientist, 1986 Aug. 18.
- Archer, Jonn. The Water you drink: How Safe is it? Pure Water Press, 1996.
- Raloff, J., Toxic showers and baths, Science News; 130:190.
- Duff, Conacher and Assoc. “The Nader Report-Troubled waters on tap”, 1988 Jan. Center for Study of Responsive Law.
- Wallace, L., Environmental Protection Agency.
- Water: The Ultimate Cure.
- Lin T.F. & Hoang S.W., “Inhalation exposure to THMs from drinking water in south Taiwan”. Sci Total Environ, 2000 Jan 31; 246(1).
- Kuo, H.W., Chiang, T.F., Lo, I.I., et al. “Estimates of cancer risks from chloroform exposure during showering in Taiwan”. Sci Total Environ, 1998 Jul 11; 218(1):1-7.
- AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Vol. 74-1984