Celebrity Derm Claims Tap Water Damages Skin

Dr. Dennis Gross, celebrity dermatologist, says tap water contains heavy metals which breakdown collagen and lead to wrinkles. Heavy metals such as iron, copper, magnesium, lead and zinc are free radicals.
These elements build up on the skin's surface and cause dermatologic problems such as those Gross first noticed in his practice when clientele consisting of magazine editors, socialites and designers returned from the fashion shows in Milan with terrible skin.
"Heavy metals on the skin can lead to skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, irritation, inflammation and aging," say Dr. Dennis Gross, author of Your Future Face (Viking 2005). He concluded there are great variations in the content of heavy metals, calcium, and sulfates from one city to the next.
"While the water is clearly drinkable, if you are unlucky enough to be exposed to bad water on a regular basis your skin can suffer the same kind of damage, although to a lesser degree, as sitting in the sun with suboptimal protection," says Dr. Gross, associate clinical professor at New York University Medical Center.