Dr. Sanjay Gupta (3:08)

Okay, Rebecca, shower head filter. Do you need one? First of all, I have to say that I've thought about this a lot as well. Sometimes I travel and I'll feel like my skin and my hair look and feel different when I'm showering in other locations versus at home. And I've often wondered if that was the water or the various products that I was using. I decided to call up one of our experts for this question, Dr. Marissa Garshiko. She is a board certified dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. This is what she told me.

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (3:42)

So the reason shower head filters exist is to actually help to eliminate concerns with hard water. And so that may mean that the water has a high mineral content, and then that specifically usually refers to magnesium and calcium. But there's also water that can have a high chlorine content, which is, as most people who are familiar with swimming, chlorine is not great for your skin. And what we know about hard water is that when you use it as part of taking a shower or bathing, sometimes it doesn't effectively allow your shampoo or your soap to lather sufficiently. And then oftentimes it can leave a residue behind and leave the skin more susceptible to dryness and irritation. Similarly, for hair, people may notice more dryness or dullness or even like brittleness.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (4:27)

So shower head filters are designed to reduce things like chlorine and against certain minerals that I mentioned already. That's the stuff that can leave behind residue and often interferes with how your hair and skin might feel. But does it really make a difference?

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (4:43)

So I would say there is some truth to it and there is some evidence to it, but it doesn't necessarily mean changing your shower filter is going to cure all your skin ailments. And even for people who have maybe eczema or certain skin conditions, it's definitely one piece of a bigger kind of puzzle in terms of the treatment approach. I've definitely had a number of patients who, after having made a change or purchasing a shower head filter, come back and say, wow, that really did make a difference. But sometimes it's hard to know because it's at the same time that they're doing other things and they're maybe paying more attention to their skin overall. But I do think that for certain people, it can make a meaningful difference.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (5:25)

Okay, so there may be benefits. Science isn't definitive yet. As we've talked about in earlier podcasts, sometimes that science is hard to accumulate. It is worth noting that filtered showerheads are not regulated by the epa, which means marketing claims are not always verified. So then the big question is, should you actually try one?

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (5:48)

In general, if you're somebody who is experiencing dry, sensitive skin, you feel like you've tried all the different things. You're doing the moisturizing creams, you have a humidifier, but you're still experiencing it. And you feel like you've noticed a difference based on the way the water is affecting you. I think go for it. But they sometimes can be costly, and I don't want people to feel like without them, there's no way to care for their skin in a. In a way that's meaningful and can help to improve their overall quality of skin. So I think it's a compliment to other things that we have, but it shouldn't replace quality skincare, gentle cleansers. And basically, I always say showers are a big part of what we do to our skin. So short showers, once a day, five, 10 minutes, lukewarm water, moisturizing the skin can all play a big role. And so doing all those things before you feel like you need to switch the shower head may be helpful.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (6:41)

Okay, so if you're thinking about trying a shower head filter, the key is to figure out what exactly you're trying to filter out and making sure the product is actually designed to do that. So, for example, if you're concerned about chlorine, look for filters that use KDF55 that can reduce chlorine even if it doesn't completely remove it. It can also remove some of the heavy metals if they are present in your water. Also consider brands that test their products against the National Sanitation Foundation's 177 standard that will certify whether a shower head actually reduces chlorine. All right, Rebecca, hope that helps. I learned something here as well. We got another question. Kira, go ahead.

Kira (7:26)

Okay, so our next question is on LED face masks. These seem to be everywhere right now. Influencers love them, people swear by them. But a lot of us are left wondering whether they actually can do what they claim.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (7:40)

Yes, LED face masks. They really seem to have come out of nowhere and gained ton of popularity. The big question is, what is the science behind them? Is this just another fad? We'll talk about it right after the break.

Anderson Cooper (7:58)

Hey, I'm Anderson Cooper. On my podcast all there is. We explore grief and loss in all its complexities. You'll hear deeply moving and honest discussions with people who have faced and are living with life altering losses.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (8:10)

On stage. Was always this place that for all my life that was safe for me. Something broke in me when that happened.

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta (8:45)

Okay, there's the pager. Let's hear the question. Hi, Dr. Bupa, my name is Scott and I had a question about the LED light masks that are very popular. Is there scientific or medical proof that they really can do what they say, such as a red light help smooth fine lines and boost collagen and purple light helps tighten pores and relaxes the skin and so forth? Thank you, Scott. Great question. No doubt. LED light therapy has gotten a lot of attention over the last couple of years. Dermatology offices, medical spas, there are even in home devices that you can use on your couch. But as always, here on paging Dr. Gupta, we try to figure out what is the real science behind the claims. So Dr. Garshik is back. She's a dermatologist and this is what she had to say.

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (9:40)

So when you have an LED light, it's releasing a certain amount of light energy and that's targeting a certain wavelength and wavelengths actually can pick up at certain levels in the skin. The greater the wavelength, the deeper it penetrates. And so that's why red light actually is good for collagen, because it's going deeper into the skin and that's helping to support that collagen process that's good for skin texture, helps with firming the skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and we call it like photobiomodulation. So it's essentially creating a difference in the skin. Using this light based energy at the more superficial level is where blue light has more of an impact and that's working as an anti inflammatory, reducing inflammation in the skin and also helping to fight those acne causing bacteria, which is why for some people this can be a great option, especially for acne treatment as well.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (10:30)

So let me just repeat that. Red light goes deeper, so that means it's going to stimulate collagen, potentially improving texture and fine lines. Blue light, that's going to work closer to the surface can help calm inflammation and target acne causing bacteria. Now Scott, you also mentioned purple light and a lot of these masks advertise green, yellow, even orange. So what about those?

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (10:56)

The most well studied from sort of a dermatology perspective and certainly what we utilize most in office is going to be in that red and blue light phase. Now there is some value to some of these other kind of wavelengths. Certainly there are anti inflammatory benefits, skin brightening benefits, even with like the yellow lights. And sometimes people will find maybe that one helps more with pigmentation and whatnot of the skin. But I would say big picture, I do find red and blue light tend to be the ones that we reach for the most in terms of finding significant benefits from there.

Kira (11:31)

Okay, I need to jump in really fast because what about people with like freckles or sensitive skin? Like when do we need to be cautious?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (11:38)

Yeah, Kira, great point. So for people with freckles or darker pigmentation, Dr. Garshik says these masks aren't designed to erase pigment or get rid of dark spots. Very important. She mentioned that sometimes just by evening out skin tone and you might see some subtle changes, but they're not going to make freckles disappear. They're not going to make age spots disappear either. Now where you do want to be more careful is with certain skin conditions. So for people with something known as melasma, for example, that's a form of hyperpigmentation. The heat generated by some of these masks can actually trigger or worsen it. Okay, so keep that in mind. Doesn't happen to everyone, but it's something you want to talk about with your dermatologist before using one. Same goes for people with very sensitive skin, eczema or rosacea. In some situation, the blue light's anti inflammatory effects can be helpful. But again, the heat from the device can sometimes cancel out those benefits. Also, in case you've had a history of skin cancer, the good news is these devices should not have a negative effect. So putting it all together, are they worth it?

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (12:49)

The LED masks definitely have some scientific evidence behind them. But what's interesting about the at home devices is that the amount that we're able to deliver in an at home device safely differs from what we can do in the in office setting. So even though the scientific basis is definitely there, it's important to know that when you're doing it at home, you are getting a more modified impact. For somebody who is interested, I think they're certainly reasonable, but I don't find them to be something that will replace doing injectables or lasers or replace wearing sunscreen every day. And the benefits that that can do for your skin in terms of skin aging. But the biggest thing, and one of the things I always have to tell my patients is that it's only going to work if you use it. And so it's really intended to be something that if you're going to invest in it, you really feel comfortable that you'll be able to be consistent because that's really where you'll see the most impact.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (13:46)

So, Scott, some real science behind red light and blue light therapy. But the result of the at home treatments do tend to be more gradual and subtle as compared to in office treatments. I guess that should be no surprise. If you're willing to use them consistently, they can be a reasonable addition to your routine. And if you do decide to try one, look for a device labeled FDA cleared. Be consistent again about wearing the mask and following the instructions that come with it. It's usually about 10 minutes a day, five days a week. Protect your eyes. Very important. And again, talk to your dermatologist first, especially if you have melasma, eczema or other sensitive skin conditions. Okay, that's a wrap for today's episode. Thanks so much to everyone who sent in questions. This show wouldn't exist without you. I'm really glad you're a part of it. Thanks to our expert as well for weighing in. And remember, no question is too big or too small or too embarrassing. We might just answer it on our next show. Record a voice memo, email it to pagingdr.gupta.com that's paging Dr.guptann.com or give us a call 470-396-0832 and leave a message. Thanks so much for listening tab. I got news for your ears, the podcast. I am your host, Michael Ian Black. I have nothing to hide. I've been exonerated. Totally exonerated. On Epstein. Yeah, the exonerated thing, like it's the word he learned and I don't think he even knows what it means. Come on. He knows what exonerated means. He's been on trial enough times. He's been exonerated a number of times. To me it's the 1980s. Ran for president and won.

Dr. Marissa Garshiko (15:35)

Right?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (15:35)

Why isn't the music more interesting? YMCA Gloria. I'm gonna say that Gloria. Gloria's a good Michael Crawford receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Have I Got News for your ears. Releases new episodes every Wednesday. Don't miss an episode. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts.