Whether in summer or winter, seawater baths can be beneficial for the skin thanks to the many minerals it contains, in addition to providing well-being and relaxation.
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The use of sea water is not new. Already in Antiquity, hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy could be practiced and favored for their virtues. Today, wellness centers often offer cures in their programs based on the use of seawater or seaweed, for example.
Seawater, the basic element of many cures
Seawater is rich in salt, sodium chloride, which is extracted from it to produce table salt. But in thesea water there are many other minerals that our body needs such as magnesium, calcium, potassium. Thanks to its composition of minerals and trace elements, seawater is similar to a physiological serum. Its benefits are exploited in many cosmetics but also in the context of thalassotherapy treatment or balneotherapy. In thalassotherapy centers, dermatological programs act both on dead cells present on the surface (baths, wraps, scrubs, etc.) but also on internal cells with lymphatic drainage techniques, for example to reactivate blood circulation and of the lymphatic system.
When used as a treatment, filtered seawater acts against acne, eczema, psoriasis, irritations, itching. It must be equivalent to offshore water, with a difference in salinity level equivalent to 2%. In other words, the water pumped must have the same salinity on arrival, it is drawn and transported directly by pipes to the establishment which delivers the care. The seawater will then be used within 48 hours, or even 24, following its capture.
In another context, it is also possible to carry out a detox cure with Quinton water. It is a sea water rich in trace elements and minerals which has been filtered beforehand and which can be assimilated in the form of a capsule as a revitalization cure. This liquid, which is also called “marine plasma”, is drawn from Brittany. Among other things, it helps to remineralize the body’s cells, which can have significant effects in countering skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.
The skin benefits of salt water
The skin needs minerals for its functioning and its natural regeneration. If it lacks it, it can become dry, irritated and uncomfortable.
Salt water is known to bring different benefits to the skin :
- it improves skin hydration;
- it would promote healing;
- it would fight against the bacteria responsible foracne ;
- it would have an exfoliating effect to get rid of old skin, thus making the skin softer and smoother;
- it improves the barrier function of the skin;
- it would balance the pH of the skin;
- it reduces inflammation.
In 2005, research showed that bathing with magnesium-rich Dead Sea water improved skin hydration and barrier function while reducing inflammation in people with dry skin.
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