Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I honestly have to admit my lack of knowledge in what the difference is between hard and soft water. We moved here from Alexandria, VA so we were on city water and it had a pretty strong chlorine smell if that helps. The city water there all comes from the Potomac River.
If you use the same soap as you did in Alexandria, does it seem to foam and lather up more or less here in Raleigh? The more lather, the softer the water.
Hard water leaves cloudy mineral deposits (calcium etc) on the walls of your shower, but the minerals in hard water wash soap off really well. Soft water has much less mineral content, but lacking minerals it is harder to rinse all the soap off and you are left with a soapy film on your skin after a shower, which can lead to very dry skin.
Raleigh's water is not especially hard compared to most places in the country, and very few people around here bother with water softeners. Chances are, Alexandria's water is harder than Raleigh's. But then again, where I came from (Asheville) has water that's softer still.
This is going to sound weird -- but do you have your own washer or are you using a laundromat/shared washers? I ask because it is possible that a shared washer is leaving residual detergents that are getting into your sheets/towels/clothes and giving your skin problems.
I have run into this -- what I did back in college days was to run my towels through first in a relatively 'clean' smelling washer as a bleach load with an extra rinse with 'hot' water, then wash the towels again in the same washer without detergents (basically giving my towels an extended rinse cycle), then use that very same washer to wash my sheets/clothes. It cost a bit extra (more quarters) but it gave me a washer that was relatively cleaned of detergents prior to running my load.
Just a thought! I also second the idea of the shower filtration thing -- they are pretty easy to hook up and can be helpful in removing the minerals. Also, the dermatology appt makes sense!
So my skin is not adapting to the water here at all. I know I'm having some sort of reaction and I'm about 99.9999999999999% positive it's the water. I had the same skin reaction years ago when I tried some Bath & Body junk. I've since switched to all hypo-allergenic stuff (shampoos, detergents, soaps, everything) and haven't had any issues until we moved here.
Does anyone have any recommendations on water additives or anything I can do until we buy a house? Unfortunately I'm stuck in an apartment with no filtration system until then. I know we have Serratia in the water by all the red gunk that grows on everything the water touches so I'm wondering if it's that but I'm not sure.
I want to try some home remedies before I suck it up and go to a dermatologist. Although at this rate it may be too late anyway.
Thanks!
Lush, located in Crabree Valley Mall, has a wonderful oatmeal soap. It is very soothing for skin issues. My husband has eczema and it really works. All of Lush's product's are handmade; some are even vegan.
Ok, as for hard or softness of the water, I would actually say it's roughly the same, maybe slightly more hard if I had to choose.
I never even thought about the washer, I wonder if that made a difference in the beginning? We have our own in our unit so I would think it wouldn't matter by now. (We've been here since November.)
And I LOVE Lush! I found them 10 years ago when I was in Dublin, Ireland. Whenever I would go there each year I would stock up on all sorts of stuff and bring it back to the US. It got me in some trouble one year with Customs who thought I had brought all this stuff back to sell. I live by their Celestial moisturizer and Ultrabland cleanser. I'm SO happy there is one in Raleigh.
There is something definitely going on with the water. My skin has reacted and been more dry than normal. I noticed when first moving here that something was wrong with my skin and scalp. I also smell something funny in the water. You are not alone. I may get one of those filters!
I honestly have to admit my lack of knowledge in what the difference is between hard and soft water. We moved here from Alexandria, VA so we were on city water and it had a pretty strong chlorine smell if that helps. The city water there all comes from the Potomac River.
I have no doubts the water is safe here, I'm not questioning that at all. It definitely smells a whole lot better than Alexandria's! But, something in it is torturing my skin. The apartments we currently live in are pretty new (I think they are 4 years old) so it's not old plumbing. Not that new plumbing couldn't have issues either.
Anyway, I'm going to get a filter for the shower and see if that helps and I'll probably make an appointment with a dermatologist anyway. I could probably use a course of antibiotics.
Thanks again to everyone for all of your help!
My daughters have both had skin issues since we moved here. One had a series of bad contact dermatitis type problems, and the other now has eczema. It may be the water--we were on well water before with a treatment system, which made the water nice and soft.
I don't know what my kids' issues were/are: I sometimes wonder if it's that we live in a new construction home and off-gases are causing us problems.
One thing I've done is buy a lot of peace lillies as houseplants. They're supposed to clean the air
I have suffered with Ichthyosis vulgaris since I was a young child. City water and all its lovely chemical cocktails is highly caustic to my skin. I have tried the showerhead filters, but have seen no real improvement. The only thing I've found that helps is Aveeno's oatmeal bath products used in combination with an in-shower lotion (such as Olay Quench). Places like Lush and L'Occitane En Provence probably have high-end versions of this lotion.
Bath oil would probably help if you have a mild case of dry skin; mine requires more intense moisturizing. Keri and Neutrogena products are pretty good.
In the past, my dermatologists have recommended products by Cetaphil and Aquafor. I have tried those and, more recently, CeraVe...no real results here, but again, my case is pretty severe compared to the average dry-skin case.
I meant to post this earlier this week but totally forgot until now. Anyway, I just want to give everyone a huge kiss for recommending the showerhead filters! I went to my dermatologist, got a round of antibiotics, the water was trashing my skin that bad ugh, and got a showerhead filter. My skin is in MUUUUUUUUUCH better shape here about a month later.
I was totally one of those "patients" on TV for the psoriasis drugs who wouldn't wear short sleeves for fear of terrifying small children. I say a couple more weeks and I may actually break out my tanktops. Which is some good timing since it's getting pretty hot really quickly all the sudden.
I can't thank you guys enough! And to everyone who messaged me dermatologist recommendations. I'm due up for my freckle check here soon. :-)
My daughters have both had skin issues since we moved here. One had a series of bad contact dermatitis type problems, and the other now has eczema. It may be the water--we were on well water before with a treatment system, which made the water nice and soft.
I don't know what my kids' issues were/are: I sometimes wonder if it's that we live in a new construction home and off-gases are causing us problems.
One thing I've done is buy a lot of peace lillies as houseplants. They're supposed to clean the air
Hello, Just came across this thread on contact dermatitis. Did you find what was causing the issue? My wife is also having eczema kid of rashes and I am suspecting the off-gases from newly painted walls in my townhome.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
