Is Your Shower Water Safe? A Complete Guide to Water Quality and Health

Most people worry about what’s in their drinking water, but have you ever thought about what’s coming out of your showerhead? Shower water quality matters just as much as drinking water.

Your shower water can contain chlorine, heavy metals, VOCs, and microplastics that can affect your skin, hair, and lungs. Children and people with sensitive skin or respiratory issues are especially vulnerable.

We’ll discuss contaminants in your shower water, potential health risks, regional differences, and simple ways to protect yourself and your family from daily exposure.

By understanding what’s really coming out of your showerhead, you can take actionable steps for cleaner, safer water.

You might only see water coming out of your showerhead, but there’s a lot more hidden in the water that’s hitting your skin every day. 

Even though you aren’t drinking your shower water (at least, you shouldn't be!), it still goes through the same treatment process as your tap water. It carries many of the same chemicals and contaminants.

What’s even more alarming is that most of these substances are added intentionally or are byproducts of the water treatment and delivery process.

Here are some common substances found in tap water.

Chlorine is often used as a disinfectant to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can make people sick. It’s effective at preventing waterborne diseases, but it can linger in your tap water and react with organic matter to form potentially irritating byproducts known as trihalomethanes (THMs). Researchers attribute most of chlorine's negative side effects to these harmful byproducts.

Short-Term Symptoms:

• Dry, itchy skin

• Irritated or red eyes

• Dry, frizzy hair

• Occasional headaches or dizziness

Potential Long-Term Health Risks:

• Cancer

• Reproductive and Developmental Complications

• Respiratory Issues

• Liver and Kidney Damage

• Immune System Effects

Heavy metals, including lead, copper, and iron, often leach into water from aging pipes, faucets, or showerheads. Over time, they can build up and cause discoloration, dryness, or scalp irritation. Exposure to lead is harmful, especially to children, and shows no early warning signs. The risk is higher in older homes or cities with outdated infrastructure.

Short-Term Symptoms:

• A metallic taste if splashed on the lips

• Slight skin irritation or redness

• Hair may appear dull or brittle with frequent exposure

Potential Long-Term Health Risks:

• Neurological Effects

• Cardiovascular Effects

• Kidney Damage

• Reproductive Issues

• Gastrointestinal Distress

• Anemia

Microplastics result from the breakdown of plastic products entering water sources. These fine particulates are sometimes referred to as “microplastics” in consumer discussions, though laboratories like IAPMO use the term “particulates” to describe the tested material category.

They’ve been detected in municipal tap water around the world, as well as in rain and indoor air. Health concerns arise when microplastics are ingested, accumulated on the skin, or inhaled with steam.

Short-Term Symptoms:

• Some may notice residue on skin or hair

• Potential for irritation in sensitive skin

Potential Long-Term Health Risks:

• Inflammation

• Toxicity

• Disruption of the Endocrine System

• Gastrointestinal Effects

• Microbial Impact

• Immune System Effects

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of human-made chemicals used in everyday products. They enter water sources from manufacturing and don’t break down easily (that’s why they’re called forever chemicals). In a shower, they can be absorbed through the skin in trace amounts, but their persistence is why PFAS are concerning. 

Some people may notice mild skin irritation or increased dryness. However, the effects of PFAS tend to appear over long-term exposure rather than immediately.

Potential Long-Term Health Risks:

• Cancer

• Thyroid Issues

• Developmental Effects

• Liver Damage

• Elevated Cholesterol Levels

• Immune System Effects

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are gases released from chemicals in household water and cleaning agents. When you take a hot shower, VOCs can evaporate and mix into the air, making them easy to inhale. 

Short-Term Symptoms:

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Eye or throat irritation

• Skin may feel itchy or dry

• Inhalation of steam can aggravate asthma or other respiratory sensitivities

Potential Long-Term Health Risks:

• Cancer

• Respiratory Issues

• Nervous System Effects

• Liver and Kidney Damage

• Reproductive Issues

• Immune System Suppression

These are common chemicals found in shower water, but they can vary widely depending on your location. 

Water quality isn’t the same everywhere: source (well vs. city), treatment processes, and the age of infrastructure all play a role.

The Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database gives you a clear picture of the chemicals present in your tap water.

Where your water comes from can impact the chemical makeup found in your tap water. Water from lakes and rivers tends to have fewer minerals, but often requires more chemical disinfection. Groundwater usually contains more natural minerals. Your location determines what naturally occurs in your water before it reaches your showerhead.

Most water is treated before it enters your home. Many cities and towns provide treated water that goes through filtration, chemical disinfection, and sometimes fluoride addition. 

Treatment is regulated by the EPA in the U.S., which sets maximum contaminant levels for thousands of substances. However, even small levels of contaminants can make an impact on your health.

Regulations and testing schedules vary—the same chemical in one city may be present in higher or lower concentrations somewhere else. That’s why your skin or hair may react differently while you’re traveling!

Older cities or homes with aging pipes are more likely to have trace amounts of heavy metals in the water. Tiny particles of rust or debris from old pipes can travel through to your showerhead and land on your skin.

Floods, droughts, or wildfires can temporarily change water composition. Environmental changes can introduce new contaminants, affecting your shower water’s effect on your skin and hair.

Learn how the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles impacted the water quality.

Even if your shower water meets safety standards, the chemicals and contaminants in it can affect your hair and skin over time. Your shower water might be doing more harm than you realize.

Most of these symptoms can be explained away—it’s the products you’re using, or how you’re sleeping, or your genetics. But most often, your shower water is the culprit.

Here are some signs your shower water is impacting your hair:

1. Your Hair Feels Dry or Brittle

2. Hair Breakage or Split Ends Are Increasing

3. Hair Loses Its Shine

4. Color Fades Quickly

5. Scalp Irritation or Flakiness

6. Hair Feels Limp or Heavy

7. Difficult to Manage or Tangles Easily

And signs your shower water is affecting your skin:

1. Dry, Itchy, or Irritated Skin

2. Flare-Ups of Eczema, Psoriasis, or Acne

3. Tight or “Squeaky Clean” Skin

4. Rash or Red Spots

5. Unexplained Irritation Despite Gentle Products

Sensitive skin types may notice these effects more strongly. Your skin will tell you that something is wrong, and it might all come down to the water you’re showering in.

Children's skin and respiratory systems are more sensitive than adults’. This makes them more vulnerable to toxins in shower water. Daily exposure can have noticeable effects.

Super hot water increases the amount of steam in the shower, making it more likely to inhale microplastics, VOCs, or PFAS. Inhalation of these contaminants can irritate your child’s lungs. 

We’re not saying your child has to take a cold shower, but make it warm rather than hot to reduce the steam exposure.

The shorter the shower time, the better. Not only does this reduce water usage, but it also decreases contact with contaminants.

Consider this, too: Steam gets trapped in your shower until you open the door or pull back the curtain. They’re inhaling the steam the entire duration of their shower. Then, the steam is in your bathroom, where your child might spend more time getting ready.

Depending on your child’s age, they could spend up to an hour a day inhaling steam filled with toxins.

The best way to reduce your exposure to toxins is to install a water filter. By using a shower filter like the Weddell Duo, you can ensure your shower water is free from harmful substances.

All of our Weddell Duo shower filters have been independently tested by accredited laboratories. It’s the only shower filter to be NSF certified for reducing Free Available Chlorine while maintaining a verified reduction in PFAS and particulates. 

Shop here.

Chlorine and other chemicals in water strip hair and skin of natural oils. Use a fragrance-free body lotion right after showering to restore moisture.

You might be thinking, “Isn’t a bath better than a shower because there isn’t as much steam?” Yes, that’s true.

However, baths pose the risk of more absorption through the skin. You spend more time in the bath than the shower, and absorption is just as impactful as inhalation.

Baths may be more relaxing and less irritating to the lungs, but showers are more practical and often shorter, reducing total contact. Using a bath or shower filter can improve water quality for either option.

The best way to improve shower water quality is with a shower filter. It will remove a significant amount of contaminants from your water before it ever touches your skin. 

Here are some benefits of using a shower filter:

• Healthier Skin and Hair: Reduces dryness, irritation, and frizz.

• Better Respiratory Health: Lowers inhalation of chemical vapors.

• Peace of Mind: Ensures cleaner water every day.

Don’t forget to regularly clean showerheads to prevent mineral buildup that can reduce water pressure!

In addition to installing a shower filter, what else can you do to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals present in your tap water?

Try these simple habits:

• Keep Showers Short and Lukewarm
• Ventilate the Bathroom
• Moisturize Immediately After Showering
• Rinse Hair Thoroughly
• Test Your Water
• Maintain Your Plumbing

Even small changes can make a big difference!

Weddell Duo is the only shower filter on the market that’s NSF certified to reduce Free Available Chlorine while also filtering out PFAS and particulates (microplastics). It’s been rigorously tested and proven to effectively remove harmful substances from your tap water. 

Unlike many other shower filters that make unverified claims, Weddell Duo has been dermatologist-tested and approved. It’s safe for even the most sensitive skin and has been clinically shown to improve skin hydration and scalp health. Weddell Duo is designed with your needs in mind.

By using a Weddell Duo shower filter, you have peace of mind every time you step into the shower.

Shower water quality matters for your skin, hair, and overall health. A simple change can make a huge impact.

Understanding your local water quality and installing a reputable shower filter ensures a cleaner, safer shower experience every day.

Shop the Weddell Duo shower filter.

Yes. Municipal water is treated to kill harmful bacteria, but showerheads and pipes can harbor biofilm, a slimy layer where bacteria can grow. Hot showers can aerosolize these bacteria, making them easy to inhale, which is why regular cleaning of showerheads and proper ventilation are important.

No, shower water comes from the same source as your tap water. It contains the same disinfectants, minerals, and trace chemicals, which is why it’s important to filter both tap and shower water.

No. Standard residential showers do not recycle water. The water goes down the drain after use.