Are Shower Filters Necessary? Here's the Honest Answer

If you’ve been wondering whether a shower filter is actually necessary or just a wellness trend, here’s a straight answer: for most Australians showering in chlorinated town water, a shower filter makes a genuine, noticeable difference — particularly for skin and hair health. Here’s why.

For our full range and product recommendations, see our Shower Filters Guide or browse our shower filter collection.

What’s Actually in Your Shower Water?

Australian town water is treated with chlorine and chloramines to kill bacteria and pathogens — which is necessary and effective. The problem is that these same chemicals, when you shower in hot water daily, have a cumulative effect on your skin and hair.

Hot water opens your pores and causes chlorine to volatilise into steam, meaning you’re absorbing it through your skin and inhaling it simultaneously. Over time this contributes to:

• Dry, tight skin after showering
• Dry, brittle, or frizzy hair
• Scalp irritation and dandruff
• Aggravated eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis
• Faded colour-treated hair

What Does a Shower Filter Do?

A shower filter removes or significantly reduces chlorine and chloramines from your shower water before it reaches your skin. Quality KDF-based filters (like our Sprite range) use a copper-zinc redox process that remains effective at hot water temperatures — unlike carbon filters, which lose effectiveness as water heats up.

What shower filters don’t do: they don’t soften hard water. If limescale is your main concern, you need a whole house water filter or water softener, not a shower filter.

Who Benefits Most from a Shower Filter?

• People with eczema, psoriasis, or sensitive skin — chlorine is a known irritant that triggers and worsens flare-ups
• People with colour-treated hair — chlorine lifts colour from the outer cuticle, accelerating fade
• Babies and young children — their skin is more permeable and sensitive to chemical exposure
• Anyone who notices dry skin or hair after showering — this is often the first sign of chlorine sensitivity
• People in cities using chloramines (most major Australian cities) — chloramines are harder to remove than chlorine and require a filter with Chlorgon or Vitamin C media

Are Shower Filters Effective?

Yes — when you choose the right type. KDF-55 media is NSF-validated for chlorine removal and remains effective at shower temperatures. Our Sprite shower filters use KDF and Chlorgon media specifically engineered for hot water performance.

A quality shower filter reduces chlorine by up to 90–96%. Be sceptical of any filter claiming 99%+ removal — that’s not realistic in a shower environment where water contact time with the media is brief.

Frequently Asked Questions