Is it worth it?

(Hat tip: Brown & Caldwell California Water News.)

It seems more and more people are buying filters for the water they shower and bathe in.

If you're like many Americans, you either filter your drinking water or buy the bottled variety. Now, a growing number of people are using purified water to bathe in or brush their teeth, 10News reported. Dana Harrison and Joseph Perry told 10News that a water filter in their bathroom is improving the condition of their skin and body. "My skin's improved. It's not as dry," Harrison said.

Of course, not everyone's convinced.

Dermatologist Ranella Hirsch said when it comes to your skin, you don't need a filter to get rid of impurities in your water. "It is such a small number that the skin is able to deal with it and it simply doesn't cause the skin any harm," Hirsch said.

One question has to be, how much of this is due to the placebo effect?

If people are feeling better because they expect to, I suppose that's fine. The thing is, tap water is so tightly regulated there's not a whole lot of room for improvement with any reasonably-priced filter. You're probably better off spending the money on a gym membership or something.

These things are trade-offs. Money spent on a filter is not available for something else that might have a greater impact on your health. On the other hand, if you're buying status, it might be worth it to you.