Is Hard Water Bad For Your Hair?

WHAT IS HARD WATER?

This is a term to describe water with a high mineral content. This includes minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium, these minerals can be bad for your hair and skin leading to dryness and irritation. Think of that horrible white limescale that builds up in the shower, if you have bad limescale you most probably live in a hard water area.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR HAIR?

The harder the water area the more shampoo you will need to wash your hair. Shampooing opens up the cuticle making the scales on each hair stand up. Washing your hair in hard water can make your hair more tangled than rough than it should be. The soap becomes less effective due to the high mineral contents left on your hair. Conditioner will help close down the cuticles but your hair could feel limp or feel like you have a coating on your hair. Hard water also prevents moisture from entering your hair leading to tangled, dull and limp hair and cause breakage or dandruff. It can also cause your hair colour to fade faster or alter the shade of your hair.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT HARD WATER?

The most effective way is to get a shower filter to make the water soft. This will remove the Calcium, Magnesium and impurity's from the water. This is a cheaper option than getting a water system for the whole home.

DIY METHODS YOU COULD TRY TO REMOVE OR REDUCE HARD WATER

•  A vinegar rinse is a traditional method thought to give your hair more bounce and body to limp hair. It is recommended that you rinse off after use. This seems to slightly defeat the point as you do a final rinse in hard water , this would still/could leave a film on your hair. Also the pH levels would be different for each person depending on how much vinegar to water you use as a rinse.
•  Bottled spring water is another option but could be an expensive one particularly if you have very long hair.
• Using a swimmers shampoo or clarifying shampoo could be worth a go before you invest in a shower or water filter. The only downside is that using these shampoos regularly can be a little drying.