According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), contaminants have been found in nearly 50,000 water utilities in every state. The federal government does not regulate tap water. Each state is free to adopt its standards for clean water in the U.S. One of the highly toxic contaminants found in most U.S. water supply is fluorinated compounds known as PFAS, which contaminate tap water in hundreds of communities.
Although the vast majority of community water systems currently meet the deferral regulations, tap water will always contain contaminants in concentrations that exceed the levels that scientists think are safe. Research shows that many of the existing legal limits for tap water contaminants allow contaminant levels that can be harmful.
There are different types of water, but not all types of water are equal in quality. The skin is the biggest organ in our bodies. It demands to be treated the same way as the internal organs. Understanding the function of pH in the human body will help us understand why one particular type of water might be more suitable for the human skin.
The pH regulates the human skin; it is the measure of how acidic or basic water is. The pH range goes from 0 to 14. A pH range of 7.0 is neutral. A pH of less than 7.0 is acidic, whereas a pH greater than 7.0 is base.
Water Types and Their pH
People of African heritage are more prone to develop inflammatory skin diseases. These diseases usually resulted in hyperpigmentation and skin discoloration.
Avoiding using water that contains a high pH level can only help reduce inflammation. In other water, it might be beneficial to use acidic water to cleanse your face. Acidic water refers to water with a pH of less than 7. Acidic water is not drinkable. According to the United Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the recommended pH range for drinking water is 6.5 to 8.0. Acidic water has a pH range of less than 6.5. Because acidic water has antimicrobial properties, it is potentially beneficial for the skin.
It is worth noting that while acidic water has potential benefits for the skin, you should avoid using polluted acidic water from the rain, water with high amounts of heavy metals. I highly recommend obtaining your acidic water from a Phountain Health and Wellness store near you. Their pH water is uncontaminated and well regulated.
Furthermore, the pH of your water should match your skin pH. The human skin has a pH range of 4.0 to 6.0. The pH of dark-skinned individuals tends to be on the lower side, ranging from 4.5 to 5.0. Here is the list of the different water types and their pH.
Tap water – Tap water has a pH value of 6.5 to 8.5. It is considered alkaline. Tap water often contains small amounts of metal and mineral ions. Tap water has odium, calcium, magnesium, metal ions from the water pipes made of iron and copper. It is not surprising that using tap water to clean your face daily may be causing harm to your skin.
Distilled Water– Distilled water typically has a pH of 4.5-5.0. It is the oldest form of purifying water. The distilling process means boiling the water. The vapor is collected in a condenser and collected to reform the water. Theoretically, the process of distilling water may remove all traces of contaminants.
Deionized Water- Deionizing is the removal of all ions from the water. It usually means removing all of the dissolved mineral salts. Whereas in the distilling process, water evaporates through boiling and then re-condensed, removing most impurities.
Common impurities found in water are organic and inorganic materials. the removal of organic materials involves filtering methods like physical filters, carbon filters, and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The distillation process can be lengthy, especially if the water is being double or triple distilled.
Since water has a lower boiling point than most contaminants, contaminants like minerals tend to be left behind when the water turns into steam. The resulting water becomes very pure. There isn’t much difference between deionized water and distilled water. Depending on the water source, distilled water can be more refined than deionized water, but it doesn’t necessarily mean Deionized water is better. The big difference between the two types of water is the cost and the process length. Deionized water tends to be a better alternative because it is quicker and costs less.
Demineralized Water- This water goes through an ion exchange process similar to deionized water.
Ultra Pure Water – This water is demineralized before through an electrode deionization process. This type of water would be too costly to use regularly. The process is expensive; it is not recommended for daily use or in cosmetic formulations. It would most definitely be too costly for cosmetic formulations.
In conclusion, acidic water with a pH of 4.0 can help combat inflammatory skin diseases that often lead to hyper-pigmentation and discoloration, acne, eczema, and dryness.
References
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/meets-all-government-standards-ewgs-2019-tap-water-database-details#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20the,water%20in%20hundreds%20of%20communities.