A brief guide to the world of shower filters

Nowadays, everyone seems to have a craze for shower filters. They have gained popularity in a short time. So what are they? Well, they are what their name suggests; devices for filtering your shower water.

You might need to filter shower water due to various reasons. For example, certain substances in water might cause irritation to your skin or make your hair dull. 

These filters use methods that ensure no harmful substances come in contact with you when showering. 

How do filter showers work?

These filters use various techniques, including kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) and Granular Active Carbon (GAC).

In the beginning, these showers were only used to filter out the chemicals. However, the modern ones improve the water quality as they release nurturing elements. These elements make the water safer for skin and hair. 

The different types of shower filters

There are two main types of shower filters based on the installation method. 

Filtered shower heads 

These are showerheads come with a built-in filtration system. With this, the user has to get rid of their already present shower head. 

Portable shower filters 

These shower filters are installed in between the user’s showerhead and water supply line. This type of shower filter does not require a lot of effort for installation. 

Now, if we categorize them according to their filtration target, there are two types of shower filters. 

Chlorine filters 

Chlorine filters are the most commonly used filters. They were also the first ones to become commercially available. They include things such as KDF, GAC, or Calcium Sulfite to do their job.

Chloramine filters

These filters provide more protection than chlorine filters. However, they can be harmful, especially with warm water. The most prominent feature of these is their vitamin C content.

There is also a third type; Fluoride filters, but they are pretty new and relatively unknown.

Are shower filters really necessary?

 When we talk about if shower filters are necessary or not, we have to consider two things – our looks and health. So let’s take a look from both these perspectives.

Appearance

Contaminated water can greatly affect our appearance. For example, it can make our skin dry up, and can cause roughness, etc. In addition, when the minerals dissolved in water mix with soap and shampoo, they can create substances that are harmful to us. 

Showerhead filters, however, can help with this greatly. They are a physical barrier between your body, and a whole heap of harmful substances. Sure, not all of these are that dangerous on their own, but collectively they can completely ruin your skin.

Health 

Many know that chlorine in hot showers can be extremely dangerous for a person’s health. This is because, in hot showers, the heated chlorine can turn into a toxic gas. Chlorine on its own isn’t safe either. It can cause various problems like airway irritation, cough, eye irritation, skin irritation, etc. 

Shower filters save you from this fate by reducing the chlorine content in your shower water. Some shower filters even include Vitamin C and other nutrients for your skin and hair.