MARTINA STIEFEL, 65, has dry-skin conditions that are made worse by her shower. The culprit: the chlorine in her Indiana tap water. So Stiefel attached a water filter to her showerhead. “I’ve noticed a huge change in my skin,” she says, “and my hair is coming in thicker.”

This type of filter, often used to condition hard water, typically costs under $100 and fits behind or replaces the showerhead. Experts say it can be especially beneficial to older people. “As we age, our skin naturally produces less oil and becomes thinner and more prone to dryness,” says Dr. Geeta Yadav, founder of Facet Dermatology in Toronto.

When shopping for a shower filter, look for one that uses activated carbon. Kathy Park of Weddell Water, a shower filter manufacturer, says activated carbon can pull out many kinds of contaminants from water, including chlorine and PFAS (human-made substances commonly referred to as “forever chemicals”). —Michelle Mastro