If you’ve been dealing with sensitivity, dryness, oiliness, acne, and skin irritation since coming to the UAE, you may think it’s because of the weather, the products that you are applying on your skin, or the fact that your skin just doesn’t seem to adapt to the local surroundings.
However, before you start blaming the climate, consider the quality of water that your skin gets exposed to. The combination of hot climate, actively working air conditioning system, lifestyle and characteristics of local water makes everything complicated.
In addition to everything mentioned, the situation becomes worse for those who have experienced a hormonal shift. Despite having a standard skincare regimen and quality products, irritations and breakouts can happen post-shower.
The word water may not be the same as causing hormonal acne and it cannot be replaced with the word hormones, but it can also interfere with the skin barrier thereby affecting its functioning. If the skin barrier is badly affected, the issues worsen.
Let’s proceed.
Hormonal skin is the skin that is influenced by hormonal fluctuations. The most significant androgens are involved in this process.
The changes may lead to producing additional oil thus causing skin problems like pimples on the lower face, as well as jaw and chin areas
Hormonal changes occur during a number of life phases, including but not limited to menses, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, stress, and some medications
The reason for this phenomenon is the unpredictability of hormonal skin.
For a while, you may sense the skin being in an ideal state; subsequently, however, it may begin producing too much sebum and causing sensations like sensitivity, acne, and so on.
It should be mentioned that it is quite possible that the skincare routine is ok.
In fact, the body might be responding to various stimuli both inside and outside.
And this is where hard water plays a significant role.
Hard water refers to water that has certain minerals dissolved in it (that is, calcium and magnesium
These minerals are given in nature and do not present any harm as such. Nevertheless, hard water tends to react differently compared to soft water when mixed with soaps and cleaning products.
Now, let’s get back to the final point of hard water.
In the case of some with resilient skin, they may hardly notice anything.
However, in the case of someone already going through hormonal sensitivity, dryness, or a compromised skin barrier, the change may seem clearer.
To understand this better, it is important to understand what the skin barrier is.
Skin consists of an outer layer that protects skin and keeps moisture locked inside.
If the barrier is damaged, the skin may become:
Damaged barriers may make it more difficult for the skin to show normal balance.
This does not signify that hard water destroys everybody’s skin. The number of times one has come into contact with water, cleanser, heat, and other modifiers can be just one factor that affects the barrier.
UAE has additional points to note.
And then you go to bed in another air-conditioned setting.
In other words, your skin will always be exposed to numerous environmental factors and different humidity and temperature levels.
In individuals with skin that is prone to hormonal problems, it becomes even harder for them to control their skin condition.
Hard water is not the only reason behind the issue. Hard water is not the only responsible player as there are many other factors.
It is important to distinguish facts from myths in the field of skin care.
The truth is that hard water does not cause hormonal issues.
The problems associated with hormonal acne have to do with natural processes including hormonal imbalance along with oil production. The water filter cannot deal with hormonal issues.
The way your skin barrier works may determine how sensitive your skin is.
If, for example, your face wash routine makes your skin extremely dry, the application of aggressive acne treatment will not help.
For instance, people tend to view the development of hormonal acne as a sign that they need to apply even more intense products.
Their skin will face even more irritation, which will force them into using other treatments, thus falling into a cycle of using stronger and stronger products.
It might be possible to simplify everyday life in order to cut down on unwanted frustration.
Reason Shower is so Important
People usually look at skincare from the angle of topical applications.
We may be exposed to high temperatures for a few minutes.
High temperatures during broadcasting can dry out the skin, while once-in-a-while washing can contribute to skin dryness.
Moreover, if a person has hard water at home, it will react with their skin care products.
Thus, bath routine is an important topic to consider.
The effect of hard water on skin care products is a separate question.
Cleansing products are designed to remove dirt, oil, sweat, sunscreen, and other dirt particles from the skin.
Hard water makes the soap less efficient and causes the soap build-up.
One may have a certain feeling after washing and thus apply many more products or wash more carefully than it is needed.
This may lead to dryness, but the point is not that the water would cancel out the product.
Hormonal skin does experience fluctuations in its state. Furthermore:
Heat:
When it gets hot, sweating can increase which would, in turn, make the skin greasy.
Humidity:
Depending on where you are, the weather inside as opposed to the weather outside can be very different.
Air conditioning:
Being inside for long periods can create a dry environment.
Sun exposure:
When the skin absorbs ultraviolet rays, skin conditions are affected, highlighting the reasons behind the need to protect oneself from the sun.
Cleansing:
Being exposed to sweat, sunblock, makeup, and pollution might lead a person to think that it is very important to wash skin often.
Water:
Constantly taking showers and washing the face also puts some stress on the skin.
On their own, these problems may seem insignificant, but together they do make skin care somewhat difficult to implement.
Every one of these elements can impact your skin, yet their cumulative effect can have a greater significance each day.
Just think of a day in Dubai.
While outside, your skin might encounter exposure to harsh sunlight and high temperatures, however, it may then be subjected to long hours in a chilly air-conditioned environment.
Throughout the day, you can sweat and keep sun protection on your skin and a layer of cosmetic makeup, as well as wash your face and have two showers.
Your skin adapts to the changing temperature and humidity, and moisture and sun exposure levels.
Hormones and their changes can already make the skin more troublesome in terms of oiliness, breakout formation, and sensitivity. In addition to the fact that skin is under constant tension due to daily cleansing and environmental factors, the whole situation could become more difficult to manage.
It doesn’t mean that some specific reason is to blame for skin issues.
This is more about understanding how daily routine and environment interact with each other.
And one important aspect of this routine is not paid enough attention to, namely showering water.
We are often given a lot of advice on what we shouldn’t use for our skin.
We choose cleansers, serums, moisturisers, exfoliants and sun cream with everybody’s guidance available online but we often forget about the last step of washing the product off the skin.
Water is always in use, be it while having a shower, washing the face, or cleaning hands.
It is said that hard water has a lot of minerals including magnesium and calcium. Although these ingredients are innocent in themselves, hard water behaves differently than soft water when it comes to reacting with soaps and skin cosmetics.
Because of that you might end up with soap and mineral stains or may even experience dryness. In the case of someone with good skin, this may go unnoticed. But for people whose skin is sensitive, suffers from dryness or has acne tendencies any irritation may become more evident.
It is an essential point.
This is because hard water does not cause hormonal acne, and the use of a shower filter cannot affect the hormonal processes either.
Hormonal acne has to do with the change in the body hormones, especially androgens, which increase sebum production and promote clogged pores and skin irritation.
Hence, if you experience recurrent hormonal breakouts, just switching your water will not help to solve the hormonal problem.
However, a major fact still has to be taken into account.
The skin barrier serves as the body’s primary defense mechanism that protects the human body from outside threats. Once it is compromised, the dermis can become overly sensitive.
Therefore, while hard water may not be the root of hormonal acne, it is wise not to disregard either face-washing practices or the quality of water used in the process.
The skin barrier represents the outermost layer of skin.
The skin barrier serves the purpose of keeping moisture under the skin and protecting it from the external factors that may lead to its damage.
When working as intended, the skin feels healthy and comforted.
When performing well, the skin feels good and fresh, whereas when not functioning properly, the following can be observed:
Any feeling of burning sensations or tingling sensations as soon as any cosmetics are applied
This means that the selection of harsher skin care products is not exactly a smart choice.
For example, when someone suffers from an outbreak of acne due to hormones, they might quickly resort to using heavy-duty acne products or even exfoliants. But if their skin is already sensitive or has been dried out via other means, using harsh products can make matters worse.
It is best not to look for new products, but rather think about what has been happening to your skin daily.
Showering habits are only part of that equation.
This is a reason why water quality should be taken into consideration.
Both soaps and cleansers work in partnership with water to assist in removing sweat and oil as well as any dirt and sunscreen.
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium ions which can interact with some of the cleansers used, affecting the lathering process.
This can result in an unsatisfactory clean feeling, prompting the person to wash their skin again or scrub harder or use more of the cleanser.
There is therefore no point in trying to clean the skin more using vigorous methods.
You might think that your showering routine is just a few minutes every day but the countless times your skin goes through the experience is significant.
The application of straightforward methods while taking a shower can assist you in ensuring that the entire activity is helpful for your skin.
It is important to always keep the water temperature warm rather than overly hot.
This is because using overly hot water will make your skin lose its oils and become too dry.
This is especially bad for individuals who have sensitive skin.
It is important to keep the duration of your showers short.
Even if you are fond of spending long periods in the shower, water exposure will dry your skin.
It is advised to use a mild cleanser.
After cleansing your skin, the skin should feel clean. If your skin feels scrubbed, that means the natural oils have been stripped from the skin.
Make sure you use a moisturizer after showering.
Wipe your body with a towel, ensuring the skin stays moist when applying the moisturizer.
Don’t forget to check the quality of your water.
If you live in a place with hard water and experience dryness, irritation, or discomfort after showering, look for a solution that can improve water quality.
When you want to solve your problem with acne, don’t consider shower filters as a treatment.
Instead, it could be referred to as an element of the entire shower experience.
The work of a quality filtration device depends on the technology it employs and its efficiency at filtering substances from water. You must understand filtration and softening for water treatment in order to comprehend how filters work.
Most shower filters don’t remove the hard minerals of water such as calcium and magnesium. Many filtration systems are equipped only to filter certain contaminants from the water.
As a result, it’s important to confirm the specifications of the product prior to getting it.
Life in the UAE brings about a unique skin environment.
The climate can also result in sweating.
Daily exposure to the sunlight necessitates protecting the skin from UVA rays.
Constantly being surrounded by cold air can cause dry air at home.
Frequent cleaning can interfere with the skin protection layer.
Hormones affect skin oil and acne.
Moreover, the water quality that we’re using affects our daily routine.
In fact, it may be more important to be aware of how these things interact with one another than to look for an answer.
If your skin begins to behave strangely, instead of running to buy an expensive new serum or choosing a more powerful treatment for acne, don’t lose sight of what is happening globally, in terms of your skincare and habits.
Consequently, you should consider such factors as your skincare regimen or the way you live and what surrounds you as well.
It would be helpful to find out more about the features of water that you use on your skin daily.
Given that great-looking skin is not only about what you apply to it but also about everything around it.
