hard water damage hair

Are you having chronic hair breakage? Your hard water could be to blame. While hair needs water to thrive, hard water can be a total hair breakage nightmare. The very thing that we depend on to take care of our hair and fight breakage can also be the very thing that slowly destroys it. Unfortunately, hard water is a common problem. Nearly 85% of homes have hard water coming through the taps.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that is full of dissolved minerals and metals like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, silica, lead, and manganese. But you’re thinking, ” . . . wait, minerals are good, right?” -Well, yes and no. Minerals are excellent INSIDE the body as part of a healthy, well balanced diet. Inside, they are able to travel through the blood stream and nourish hair follicles for new hair cell regeneration. But minerals deposited on the exterior of the hair shaft can cause breakage and dryness problems in hair care.

How Does Hard Water damage Hair?

Minerals like calcium and magnesium can collect in water and bind to the hair shaft during normal washing and conditioning. Our hair naturally has a negative electrical charge. minerals like calcium and magnesium carry a positive charge and when they encounter hair, they attach to it. The chlorine that is often added to hard water also has negative effects on hair. These minerals have a drying effect on the outer hair cuticle because they prevent moisture from entering the hair. The result? Hard, dry, tangly, frazzled, and even discolored hair. The deposits can also build up on the scalp and cause a dandruff-like condition to form.

The minerals in hard water also react with shampoo detergents and make them less likely to produce a big, foamy lather. Interestingly, the hard water mineral deposits left on hair can also interfere with the success of future chemical services including relaxers and colors.

What to do

If your hair is being damaged by your hard water, the best course of action is to have your water tested, then once it is tested determine with your water professional if you need a water softening system and how it can help to balance your water and remove impurities.  Contact us today to discuss testing your water and to learn more about water softening systems.