Soaking in hot water at the spa is great – anyone living near a spa is lucky (and a hot bath leaves the skin feeling soft, let’s not deny it). But can the thermal water contained in beauty products have the same effect on the skin? In other words, is it the heat of the tub that helps us or the water itself? Believe it or not, thermal water itself has some nourishing qualities for the skin (although it may not be the magical cure it is sometimes said to be).
Summary
What do we Mean by Thermal Water?
Thermal water is water drawn from natural hot springs. Contains minerals that have been shown to enrich the skin.
Immersion in thermal baths is known as balneotherapy (different from hydrotherapy, which consists of soaking in simple tap water.) It is thought that the benefits of balneotherapy come in part from the composition of the water itself and many centers exploit the beneficial properties of these natural gifts, for example the Thermana Laško spa resort.
In balneotherapy, minerals have been shown to penetrate the skin and provide immediately visible, slower-releasing benefits. The most common soluble minerals include calcium, bicarbonate, silicates, iron compounds, sodium and magnesium salts, sulfur compounds and metals, along with trace elements such as selenium. There are various categories of thermal baths due to different types of thermal waters, for example rich in sulfate, bicarbonate, chloride and sulfide. The location of a spring plays a role in the effectiveness of a thermal water, as each spring has its own unique physical properties and chemical composition.
How Thermal Water Nourishes the Skin
The possibility of bathing in thermal waters has existed for centuries and is an ancient activity that inspired the modern idea of a spa. Thermal baths are an important cultural tradition all over the world, from Japan to Ecuador to Iceland. Thermal baths have been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. Many of the natural hot springs are rich in minerals such as sulfur, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. This is why science has become interested in thermal water. Thermal baths have historically been used to relieve symptoms of conditions such as:
- rheumatoid arthritis
- osteoarthritis
- ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriasis
Research suggests that bathing in warm mineral water impacts the body’s immune and hormonal systems, which can lead to anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, and antioxidant effects.
Thermal water has also been shown to help inflammatory conditions such as eczema and rosacea. Selenium-rich water, for example, has been used in balneotherapy for eczema and psoriasis for decades, he says, while the Dead Sea’s high levels of magnesium salts have been shown to be effective in treating psoriasis.
The Advantages of Thermal Water
Some relatively promising benefits of thermal water include:
Moisturize the skin
Some research suggests that using thermal water on the skin can make it feel softer, more supple and comfortable.
Help against UV damage
The minerals in thermal water appear to have antioxidant properties that some studies suggest help neutralize free radicals and possibly reduce the risk of sunburn.
Reduces inflammation
Thermal waters have been shown to calm irritation from harsh skin treatments such as retinoids and reduce skin inflammation in eczema.
Balance the microbiome
Some studies suggest that thermal water helps balance the microbiome (or the levels of healthy and unhealthy bacteria that naturally live in the skin) and reduces inflammation in people with skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Things Thermal Water does not Help with
Some spas claim that baths treat a number of health conditions, such as chronic digestive diseases, constipation, diabetes, gout, and liver problems.
Although thermal water likely has benefits for the body affecting these conditions, there is no definitive scientific evidence to prove these benefits.
Steam baths were traditionally recommended as a treatment for gout. Some research suggests that hot thermal baths can improve circulation and lower blood sugar levels in obese people with diabetes. These benefits are thought to be due to high temperatures but are unconfirmed and vary from person to person.
However, one thing is certain: water spa has many benefits, come and discover them at
Thermana Laško spa resort.
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