Eczema relief
More and more eczema sufferers are discovering the benefits of installing a Kinetico
water softener as part of their overall skin care routine.
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talkeczema product evaluation points to possible relief...
Kinetico commissioned talkeczema – one of the UK’s largest eczema support groups
- to conduct an independent product trial and survey. A Kinetico water softener
was installed in the homes of selected talkeczema members for a 3 month period.
The participants completed a questionnaire at the end of each month.
Participants who had a Kinetico water softener fitted found that:
- 83% claimed it reduced the severity of their eczema
- 91% recorded less itchiness
- 67% used less emollient
- 83% used less washing powder and detergent
Comments from participants:
“Since using a water softener her skin does feel smoother
and I have to use less cream. Also at the moment less reaction when in contact with
the water. ”
“Even my husband has said how moisturized his skin feels
after showering. I have even managed to reduce the amount of emollient that I apply
each day to my daughter.”
“I cannot believe the difference the softener has made,
I am no longer getting dry flaky patches on my face. And there is the added bonus
of not having to use so much detergent in my wash etc, so that’s got to better for
my skin too.”
Commenting on these results, Julie Van Onselen, Independent Dermatology Nurse, said,
“These results show the people who participated in this
survey felt the addition of a water softener benefitted and improved the severity
of their eczema. The most positive result is that people with eczema felt their
skin was less itchy and smoother. The vicious scratch-itch cycle is often the hardest
symptom to deal with, dry skin is itchy skin and itchy skin is scratched, which
leads to damage and often a “flare-up" of eczema.”
Therefore, if skin is less itchy, scratching and skin damage will reduce and eczema
“flares” will reduce.
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Summary
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a Media Planet Eczema Supplement
Kinetico has helped many eczema sufferers over the years
Dylan Flanagan-Crawford, aged 3 years
Dylan used to suffer very badly from eczema. It was so terrible he had to wear special
suits 24 hours a day and his skin was raw from his constant scratching. Despite
being prescribed many different creams by his GP nothing seemed to work.
After some online research, Dylan’s mother contacted Kinetico and had a water softener
installed. The transformation was remarkable. Within a few weeks Dylan’s eczema
dramatically improved - and eventually vanished. Now he leads an active life, loves
playing football and doesn’t have to worry about bathtime.
“My son has had eczema since he was 4 weeks old - very,
very severe. We had our Kinetico water softener installed about 18 months ago. He’s
a different child now - it’s a miracle! And we know it’s down to the softener as
we went without it for 2 weeks when we were flooded. His skin became dry, cracked,
sore and the itch so intense he was reliving the nightmare again. Why don’t specialists
tell sufferers about the benefits these devices can have? It truly is a light at
the end of what can seem a very dark tunnel.”
Mrs K Ward, Worcestershire
Further water softener testimonials...
“If anyone is wondering whether or not to get a water softener, I can say that it
has been worth it for us. We have found that it makes a big difference to our 10
month old baby’s skin. After installing one, there was an immediate improvement
- and specifically a reduction in scratching, which was a huge relief to all of
us...”
> Click here to read more testimonials found
on the talkeczema website...
Eczema and hard water
People with eczema might find their skin improves when they install a water softener
or move to a soft water region.
This is because hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium, which
can potentially irritate the skin.
Another reason is that households in hard water areas tend to use more soap and
detergent when washing clothes and bathing - products we know inflame the skin of
eczema sufferers.
Water softeners have an ‘ion exchange’ system which removes the calcium and magnesium
salts from the water, thus completely eliminating the hardness.
How does an ion-exchange water softener work?
Water hardness is mainly due to calcium (and sometimes magnesium) in the water supply.
To soften the water an ‘ion-exchange’ softener removes the calcium and magnesium
almost completely.
- The softener contains tiny beads of ‘ion-exchange resin’.
- These beads of resin are preloaded with sodium and as the water passes through the
beads, the calcium and magnesium in the water supply swap places with the sodium.
- Calcium and magnesium remain on the resin, while sodium goes into the softened water.
- As sodium does not cause hardness, the water becomes softened.
Other water softener benefits
Softened water has all the benefits of naturally soft water, including:
- Smoother skin and silkier hair.
- Clothes feeling softer and looking brighter.
- Preventing limescale in water heaters, central heating system, etc.
- Saving fuel by increasing boiler efficiency.
- Reducing boiler maintenance costs.
- Reducing soap and detergent usage and cost.
- Reducing scum on sanitary-ware.
- Reducing cleaning frequency.
- Reducing environmental impact by lowering carbon dioxide emissions and soap/detergent
discharge to waste.
Trials
Studies have indicated that the incidence of eczema can be related to water hardness,
with one study in Nottingham indicating that primary school children living in hard
water areas are almost 50% more likely to have eczema than those living in a softer
water area. Similar mapping studies (identifying incidence of the disease in different
geographical areas) carried out in Spain and Japan have found higher incidence of
eczema in areas of the country which are supplied with hard water than in naturally
soft water areas. Hard water is identified as an environmental trigger in the NICE
(2007) guidelines on atopic eczema in children 12 years and under. Hard water areas
are common, with more than 60% of households in England and Wales affected. There
are also many anecdotal records by doctors and eczema sufferers, of eczema conditions
improving, or completely disappearing, when the patient moves into a soft water
area or when water softeners are fitted to the home.
This prompted a government funded clinical trial (SWET Trial) organised by the University
of Nottingham Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology, to compare the possible improvement
in eczema in children when a water softener was fitted into their home for a 12
week period. It was a very comprehensive trial involving 336 children but it failed
to show any primary benefit, based on the nurses formal, routine monitoring of the
eczema condition. It did, however, show a small benefit based on the opinion of
the patient and the patient’s family.
While this trial did not provide the supporting evidence expected, 66% of home owner
participants in the trial opted to purchase the water softener after the trial.
In addition, water softener suppliers continue to receive customer reports of improvement
in eczema conditions after a water softener has been installed.
I would like a water softener...
So you understand why a softener may help to alleviate eczema and you would like
to experience soft water for yourself.
The next stage is very easy; simply locate your local Authorised Kinetico Water
Expert using the postcode search at the top of the page, or click the tab below
to arrange your free home demo.