We all know that hydration is key to good skin, with dermatologists and beauty therapists around the world constantly reminding us to drink plenty and stay hydrated if we want to avoid dry skin.

However, while drinking plenty of water will do you good, there are other factors to consider. Racked recently highlighted the issues that hard water can exacerbate, which may be a reason to consider installing water softeners in Maidenhead.

Speaking to the website, dermatologist Dr Dennis Gross explained that some of the minerals found in tap water, which are perfectly safe to consume, can irritate the skin if you’re washing with this water day in, day out.

Calcium in particular can cause issues with our complexions, he noted. “It alters our chemistry and makes our own oils less effective – they harden a bit, so instead of flowing like a liquid, it’s a little more waxy,” Dr Gross stated.

A lack of natural oils in your skin can lead to issues ranging from dryness and irritation to redness and eczema.

It isn’t only the calcium that can be the issue either, as a build up of heavy metals, including iron, zinc, copper, magnesium and lead, can also have an impact on the condition of your skin and hair.

For your hair colour, copper is one of the biggest issues, with the metal building up gradually over time on your hair and as it does so, it oxidises and causes the colour to subtly change. This is most noticeable in blondes, but can dull any hair colour, colour specialist Colleen Flaherty told the website.

Those suffering from eczema in particular may want to try using a water softener to help ease their condition, the Express suggested recently.