Eczema not helped by water softener

NOTTINGHAM, England, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A study in Britain found that installing a water softener brings no additional relief for children and teens who suffer from eczema, researchers say.

Study leader Hywel Williams of The University of Nottingham in England says up to one-fifth of all children of school age, and one in 12 of the adult population, suffer from eczema -- dry, scaly, itchy skin -- and surveys and anecdotal reports suggested hard water may worsen atopic eczema.

Williams and colleagues conducted the Softened Water Eczema Trial at the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, in conjunction with experts from the water industry.

The study recruited children and families living in Nottingham, Cambridge, London, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Leicester and Lincoln -- considered hard water areas for the 12-week trial.

Participants were randomized into two groups -- those with a water softener installed and those who did not.

The study, published in the Health Technology Assessment journal and the journal PLOS Medicine, showed no objective difference in outcomes between the children whose homes had water softeners installed and those without.

"Although the outcome is disappointing in terms of future treatment options for children with eczema, the outcome is clear," Williams says in a statement. "Despite this, some parents still believed that water softeners were helpful in eczema, and it is important to realize that other benefits of water softening in the home might be important for families too."