Dead Sea salt


Dead Sea salt refers to salt and other mineral deposits extracted or taken from the Dead Sea. The composition of this material differs significantly from oceanic salt.

History

Dead Sea salt was used by the peoples of Ancient Egypt and it has been utilized in various unguents, skin creams, and soaps since then.

Mineral composition

The Dead Sea's mineral composition varies with season, rainfall, depth of deposit, and ambient temperature. Most oceanic salt is approximately 85% sodium chloride while Dead Sea salt is only 30.5% of this, with the remainder composed of other dried minerals and salts. Major ion concentrations in the water of the Dead Sea have given the following results :
IonConcentration
Chloride and Bromide230,400
Magnesium45,900
Sodium36,600
Calcium17,600
Potassium7,800

The major minerals present in Dead Sea mud—the result of runoff streams flowing into the Dead Sea and bringing large deposits during the Holocene era—have been shown to be the following:
Mineral*Content
Silicon dioxide20
Calcium oxide15.5
Aluminum oxide4.8
Magnesium oxide4.5
Iron oxide2.8
Sodium oxide1.7
Potassium oxide1.3
Titanium oxide0.5
Sulfur trioxide0.4
Phosphorus pentoxide0.3
Chloride6.7
Bromide0.2

Dead Sea salts have been claimed to treat the following conditions:

Rheumatologic conditions

can be treated in the balneotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis. The minerals are absorbed while soaking, stimulating blood circulation.

Common skin ailments

Skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis may be relieved by regularly soaking the affected area in water with added Dead Sea salt. The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends Dead Sea and Dead Sea salts as effective treatments for psoriasis. High concentration of magnesium in Dead Sea salt may be helpful in improving skin hydration and reducing inflammation, although Epsom salt is a much less expensive salt that also contains high amounts of magnesium and therefore may be equally as useful for this purpose.

Allergies

The high concentration of bromide and magnesium in the Dead Sea salt may help relieve allergic reactions of the skin by reducing inflammation.

Skin ageing

Dead Sea salt may reduce the depth of skin wrinkling, a form of skin ageing.