Hard water linked to risk of itchy red rash or eczema in infants

Skin barrier impairment and dry skin are thought to be triggers of eczema in early life, partly through genetic predisposition. Environmental factors may also contribute to the breakdown of the skin barrier.

The study examined the link between water hardness and chlorine concentrations in household water, damage to the skin’s natural barrier and eczema in infancy.

The researchers studied 1,300 three-month old infants from families. The infants were checked for atopic childhood eczema and their skin’s barrier function was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss on the skin of an unaffected forearm. 

The findings, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, showed that living in a hard water area is associated with approximately 87 per cent increase in eczema risk, at three months of age, independent of domestic water chlorine content.