Benefits of Saltwater in Skincare: A Comprehensive Guide

Is salt water good for your skin? Zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and other minerals found in saltwater may have antimicrobial and exfoliating effects. Applying seawater to skin care products may improve skin quality.

Although there is little scientific proof to support the use of saltwater in skin care, it may have positive effects on the skin.

Seawater may have antimicrobial qualities and helpful elements including potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Certain skin diseases, like psoriasis, may be relieved by soaking in mineral salt water.

Additionally, Epsom salts contain a lot of magnesium, though it’s not entirely known how much of it the skin absorbs.

This article discusses how to include saltwater in skin care procedures and examines its possible advantages for the skin.

Advantages of Sea Water for the Skin

Is salt water good for your skin? Various ways soaking in salt water can help the skin, including:

Treatment of Eczema

A 2016 research found that water from deep within the ocean might help with eczema and other skin issues.

According to the review, deep sea water is defined as having a depth of more than 200 meters (m). Because of its high nutrient content and purity, this level of water may offer more advantages than other types.

Among the nutrients are:

• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Chromium
• Vanadium
• Zinc
• Selenium

Deep ocean water keeps a lot of nutrients because it receives little to no light from the sun, has few to no microorganisms, and has fewer plant plankton.

According to the same study, applying deep seawater to patients with atopic eczema dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) improved symptoms such as:

• Inflammation
• Skin cracking
• Edema 
• Dryness
• Itching
• Water loss from the skin
• Decrease in epidermis thickness

Lead or mercury abnormalities, among other harmful elements, are possible in people with AEDS. Restoring the proper balance of vital minerals and reducing harmful minerals could be aided by deep seawater.

Cut down on skin allergies

Deep sea water has been linked to a potential reduction in skin allergy reactions. Antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) that trigger an allergic reaction were decreased by deep seawater.

Deep sea water was also found to help inhibit or delay the response of proinflammatory cytokines, histamine, and IgE, all of which can trigger an allergic reaction, according to an in vivo study.

It should be noted that manufacturers exclude salt to ensure food safety. This indicates that seawater’s other qualities, not the presence of salt, are what provide these advantages.

Possibilities to Treat Psoriasis

• Balneotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses thermal mineral waters for bathing to address specific medical ailments.
• Balneotherapy involves adding sea salts to a bath or taking a natural saltwater bath at places like the Dead Sea.

For those who have psoriatic arthritis, hydrotherapy may be beneficial in treating plaque psoriasis.

While the exact reason for balneotherapy’s advantages for certain ailments is unknown, some advocates believe that it:

• Increases epidermal blood vessel width as a result of warm temperatures
• Releases of enkephalins and beta-endorphins
• Helps prevent pain perception
• Inhibits the skin’s immunological system

Some advantages of mineral salts could be:

• Sulfur assists in the breakdown of psoriatic plaques and may inhibit the immune system
• Magnesium lessens foreign materials that could cause an immunological reaction   
• Helps in the destruction of bacteria on the skin’s surface.

Exfoliates the Skin: 

The skin may be mechanically exfoliated by using salt water. Dead skin cells are eliminated from the skin’s outer layer by exfoliating the skin.

This could lessen the accumulation of dead skin cells, which are linked to some forms of acne. It is recommended that people with blackheads refrain from scrubbing their skin.

Salt scrubs might not be appropriate for all skin types or more delicate skin, such as the face. People might consult a dermatologist if they are unsure about utilizing a salt scrub.

Increase Magnesium Level

A mineral that is vital to general health is magnesium. Because magnesium promotes cell growth and repair as well as the activation of vitamin D, it may potentially have positive effects on the skin.

According to several accounts, using topical magnesium may aid in the relief of inflammatory skin problems.

A 2017 reviewTrusted Source claims that an extended Epsom salt bath may raise magnesium levels. The evaluation covered a trial where 19 participants bathed in Epsom salts for two hours every day for seven days. The blood’s magnesium levels increased, according to the findings.

Overall, the analysis found that oral supplementation may be more beneficial and that the skin does not seem to absorb magnesium effectively.

How to incorporate seawater into your skin care regimen

The benefits of adding saltwater to a skin care regimen have not been well-studied by scientists. People can see a dermatologist if they’re not sure if saltwater will help their skin.

The following techniques for using saltwater for skin care are suggested by anecdotal evidence:

• To test how the skin responds, begin using saltwater 1-2 times a week. If the saltwater dries out or irritates the skin, stop using it.
• Select sea salt over table salt since it can have trace minerals that are good for you.
• Instead of using coarse salt to wash your face, try using fine salt grains. 
• You may also use a cotton pad to dab some saltwater on your skin without really cleaning it.

You can try the following to create a saltwater solution:

• Bring two cups of water to a boil
• Stir in one teaspoon of sea salt
• Let the mixture settle 
• Store it at room temperature for later use

As an alternative, consumers might search for skin care products made with sea salt.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) advises taking the following safety measures while using salt as an exfoliating scrub:

• When using other treatments that can irritate the skin, including retinol or benzoyl peroxide products, use caution or refrain from exfoliating.
• mechanical exfoliation irritates sensitive, dry, or acne-prone skin.
• In certain instances, dark blotches on skin tones with darker complexion may result from mechanical exfoliation.
• After making tiny, circular strokes to gently scrub the skin for around 30 seconds, gently rinse it off with lukewarm water.
• Avoid exfoliating on damaged or sunburned skin.
• After exfoliating, use a moisturizer.
• Refrain from over-exfoliating and cease if irritation arises.

Summary

In summary, the presence of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium in salt water, along with its antibacterial qualities, may be beneficial to skin health.

Eczema and psoriasis are two skin disorders that deep sea water may aid with; however, this may be more because of the high nutrient content than the salt.

Additionally, the exfoliating properties of saltwater may aid in removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface.

People might start slowly and observe how their skin responds if they want to apply saltwater to their face or body. For some skin types, saltwater could be too harsh on the face. Stop using it if you feel any irritation.

People might consult a doctor if they are unsure about incorporating saltwater into their skincare routine.