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As you may or may not be aware, dermatology is the field of medicine that focuses on the skin: skin diseases and disorders. This includes things as varied as hair removal and implantation, skin cancer treatment, skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis and (the most unfair of plagues) acne, to plastic surgery like liposuction and face lifts.

And just how, you might ask, is dermatology related to water and water filtration?

For hair removal issues, plastic surgery and cancer, water is important for all the usual health reasons, but has little impact aside from that. Where water becomes an essential component of dermatology issues are in the areas of skin health and skin disorders. Proper hydration is often the heart and soul of health in general, but it particularly affects the skin. Lack of adequate hydration can exacerbate (or cause) rashes, eczema, allergic reactions and other topical ailments.

Along the same lines, the water you wash with can affect the quality and vitality of your skin in surprising ways. City water contains a whole raft of contaminants in varying concentrations, some of which have been shown to be harmful to your skin. Chlorine in particular is cause for concern. We all know how it feels when you get out of a chlorinated pool: the itchy, dry, tight feeling plagues you until you can rinse off with less chlorinated water. But there’s chlorine in your shower water, too, if in lesser amounts, and it’s still not good for you.

Dermatology and you

For the next several weeks, be on the lookout for blog posts, Facebook and Twitter activities, and general buzz on Aquasana.com and our other community channels that relate to dermatology and skin issues. The subject is near and dear to our hearts, and we have undertaken a mission to shed light on various dermatology topics. With that in mind, we’ve found some really excellent resources about dermatology and skin conditions out there on the net:

Related, interesting sites on dermatology…

• American Academy of Dermatology
• National Eczema Association
• Kids Skin Health
• KidsHealth

The Fourth of July brings on a lot of planning for any family—which festival to go to, what recipes would everyone enjoy, what games would the kids enjoy—or, if you have yet to start a family, where’s the best happy hour? Even with all the decisions to be made, The Fourth always ends with the flash and bang of fireworks, unless you’re in the middle of a drought, of course. In that case, what in the world are you going to do? When planning a whole day of activities, it’s helpful to consider several ideas and choose which best fits your family.

1) Food for The Fourth! Holiday recipes are always a fun idea and great to get kids involved. A hot day always deserves cold food so think fruit! Strawberries are always a tasty, healthy treat and simple to make festive for this holiday. Grab a bag of white chocolate chips, melt them down and then have the kids dip the strawberries one-by-one into the chocolate then top them off with blue sugar crystals, allow the chocolate to harden, and Voila! Instant edible patriotism! Wash it down with a red, white and blue drink, which is equally simple to make. Fill a glass with ice then add cranberry juice first, then a wild berry flavored sports drink and lastly, diet 7-up or Sprite. Make sure to pour each flavor over the ice so not mix the colors and always put the drink with the most sugar first.

2) Home for the Holidays. If you’re throwing a Fourth of July party at home, it’s always a great idea to have activities lined up for the kiddos. Since they’ll be outside most of the day, anything that causes a mess is a winner. Buy a finger paint paper roll, which can be found at crafts or school supply stores, roll it out in the driveway and have the kids paint what they think symbols patriotism and Independence Day. If you’re not crazy about paint, classic sidewalk chalk is always fun for little ones.

3) Firecracker, Firecracker, Boom, Boom, Boom! Most communities host Fourth of July festivals. A couple ways to find out which local festival best fits your family, visit the city’s website or browse your local newspaper for a schedule of events. Most festivals offer live entertainment, kid friendly activities and contests, and, of course, fireworks. If fireworks are out of the question this year due to lack of rain, alternative ideas are to watch a laser show, bring a blanket to watch a movie at a park or if you don’t want to deal with the traffic, light sparklers in the yard for the kids to enjoy then gather in front of the television with the lights turned off and watch the numerous fireworks shows across the country together.

Whatever your plans are this holiday always have safety at the top of your list!

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July from everyone at Aquasana!