SOFT WATER AND ECZEMA

Soft Water & Eczema

ECZEMA – A GROWING PROBLEM
If you or your child suffers from eczema, you’re not alone. Around one in five* children and one in twelve adults are afflicted by this distressing skin condition and it is becoming more common. And while many children do grow out of eczema by adulthood, they may still suffer several years of this uncomfortable complaint.

WHAT CAUSES ECZEMA?
There is no single cause of eczema. Doctors believe it arises from a mix of hereditary and environmental factors, of which hard water is one. One theory is that the chlorine added to protect our drinking water and the hardness minerals contained in the hard water causes dryness and irritation. Because of this, hard water households use more soap and detergent - products we know inflame the skin of eczema sufferers.

COULD SWITCHING TO SOFTENED WATER HELP?
More than 60% of households are located in hard water areas in England and Wales. Research carried out at the University of Nottingham** by dermatologists, medical geographers and statisticians in 1998 indicated that hard water could play a part in causing eczema flare-ups in some children.

The study, involving more than 7,500 school age children, found that eczema is around 50% more common in primary schoolchildren living in hard water areas than those who live in soft water areas. This could not be attributed to differences in age or social class.

*Source: National Eczema Society 2001.
**Source: Professor Hywel Williams, University of Nottingham, August 1998

Kinetico UK are participating in a clinical trial to investigate whether water softeners help reduce the severity of eczema in children. The trial, led by Professor Hywel Williams and Dr Kim Thomas of the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology at the University of Nottingham, will run from Spring 2007 to Autumn 2009 and will involve more than 310 children with moderate to severe eczema from across four hard water regions in England.  Increasing numbers of adults, concerned about the use of steroid creams on their children’s delicate skin as well as their own, are exploring the possibility of water softeners as a less harmful, non-invasive treatment option.

For further information visit : 

www.swet-trial.co.uk            www.eczema.org                        

There is already overwhelming anecdotal evidence to suggest that skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are aggravated by hard water. Many sufferers have experienced immediate relief on installing a water softener and feel that this is more than just coincidence.

“The effect on my daughter’s skin was almost immediate. Within two weeks of installing the water softener, the red patches had virtually disappeared. At its worst, her eczema would resemble burns but now there is no redness at all and her skin is soft and smooth.” Mrs H. Aylesbury, whose two-year old daughter has suffered from eczema since birth.

So why can a water softener help reduce the symptoms of eczema? Due to the complexity of eczema, it is impossible to quantify why exactly softened water helps the condition. However, British Water advises that there are enough successful reports to suggest the following: