Water has been an essential part of our day-to-day lives. It affects us from the water we drink, the water for our dishes and laundry, and the water we use for showers. Water had impacted us positively in our life.

One aspect of water is that we bathe or shower to clean ourselves and make our health better by removing dirt on our skin. By taking a bath or shower, already serve as the first line of defense against pathogens.

Taking a shower daily makes as aesthetically beautiful automatically. Becoming tidy is a must and will help you have healthy hair and skin. But what if you noticed hair falling and hair loss even if you did your utmost best to take a shower daily?

And if you don’t know what caused it, you probably wonder why it happened to you. You probably had ideas on what was the cause of hair loss but you didn’t probably consider that it was your water. Hard water.

Whether you are using a water filter or not, or other water treatment, hard water has its problems. Feeling some itch on your scalp or having dry hair? Find out more about hard water and hair loss.

Water hardness

Hard water has high amounts of mineral ions dominantly calcium and magnesium. Mineral water coming from underground are also rich with calcium and magnesium ions and is also considered hard water. Most tap water is also hard water.

The term “hardness” was first used to describe water that was difficult to wash in because of its soap-wasting properties. Hardness prevents soap from lathering by forming an insoluble curdy precipitate in the water; it also leads to the formation of hardness scale, which can be seen on cooking pans.

Most scaling in pipes and water heaters is caused by dissolved calcium and magnesium salts, which can cause several problems in the laundry, kitchen, and bath. Hardness is often measured in grains per gallon or parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate equivalent.

Hard water on hair

Hard water creates mineral build-up on the scalp, preventing nutrients and moisture from reaching the hair follicles. Your hair will become malnourished and seem dull as a result of this. Calcium buildup can cause your hair to dry out and clog your follicles.

A follicular block prevents healthy hair growth by interfering with the natural hair growth process. Calcium and magnesium attach to the hair shaft and weigh it down, making styling your hair more difficult.

Here are some effects of hard water on hair:

Fading of hair

If you’ve recently colored your hair, you could notice some fading. Iron acts as an oxidant, causing your color to fade over time. You may also notice that your reds are changing to orange tones.

It gives the impression of being greasy

Minerals from hard water are deposited on your hair. These build-ups can make your hair feel sticky, unclean, and even weighed down. Split ends may form, and your hair may become more prone to breakage.

Dry and damaged hair

Mineral deposits can make your hair seem weighed down and greasy. This may necessitate frequent shampooing of your hair. Shampoo tends to strip your hair of important oils and moisture, leaving it dry and frizzy. It may eventually break as a result of this.

Unmanageable Hair

Washing your hair with shampoo regularly might cause it to dry out and lose its natural oils and moisture. This makes it look frizzy, drab, and tangled, and it can be difficult to manage as a result.

Thinning of your hair

Mineral-laden water can clog your scalp’s pores, preventing new hair strands from growing. After a wash in hard water, your hair may become flat.

How can I tell if I am using hard water for my hair?

Water’s feel and what it does to items in your dishwasher or washing machine can be the tip of the iceberg. You can’t usually tell if water is hard or soft by looking at it. 

Signs of hard water:

• Spots. These can be found on dishes and silverware that have just come out of the dishwasher. The most prevalent deposits are calcium carbonate.
• In your home, there is less water pressure. Mineral deposits can accumulate in pipes, limiting water flow by diminishing the internal diameter of the pipes.
• After washing your hands, you notice a film on them. The soap reacts with calcium to generate soap scum, which causes this. If the water is hard, you may need to rinse your hands longer.
• Stains are made of minerals. When you take your clothing out of the washing machine, you’ll see them on them. Because of the hardness of hard water, clothes can wear out sooner.

Three tips to strengthen your hair against hard water

1. Chelating Shampoos

A chelating shampoo combats the negative effects of hard water on your scalp, leaving it feeling lighter, cleaner, and grease-free. These function by introducing molecules on your hair and scalp that trap dirt and residue.

Using a chelating shampoo can help your hair recover from the impacts of hard water. These aid in the removal of mineral deposits and product residue. They leave your hair feeling lighter, cleaner, and grease-free.

Chelating shampoos, on the other hand, can be expensive, and not everyone can afford them.

2. Demineralizing Products

Demineralizing shampoos are designed to remove the mineral deposit left behind on your hair by hard water. Their effects are immediate, and after just a few washes, you’ll notice a difference in the gloss and softness of your hair.

3. Soften Your Water

Installing a water softening system is one way to accomplish this. This will prevent minerals and other chemicals from entering the water, making it softer and better for your hair’s health.

You might also use a shower water filter, which is less expensive and easy to set up. However, you need to replace it every 6 months to ensure its effectiveness.

Conclusions

Hard water on hair has negative its negative impacts and clearly shows hair damage and loss. Mineral deposits caused by hard water should be avoided especially on the hair and scalp.

Earlier detection of hard water can prevent hair loss and damage. If the hard water already inflicted its effects on hair, there are several options to combat it. The use of chelating and demineralizing products on hair are viable options against hard water.

Water softeners work very well on tap water as it prevents the entrance of hard minerals. The water filter on shower heads is one way to go If affordability and installation are the concerns.