Have you been noticing that your hair feels different now? Whether it feels heavy, limp, dry, or even waxy, there’s definitely something going on. What is it?
You might have a hard water problem. Hard water and hair do not get along. We’re here to talk all about the effects of hard water on your hair and what you can do to combat the problem.
Read on to learn more.
What Is Hard Water?
If you’ve never had to think about the water type in your home, you might not know what hard water is at all.
Hard water is water with extra minerals (calcium and magnesium) in it. Most Americans live in areas with hard water, but some people have soft water treatment in their pipes.
When you have hard water, it’s normal to have to get calcium deposits removal because of the buildup of minerals. It’s also common to experience negative effects of hard water on skin and hair (and even clothing).
What Hard Water Is Doing to Your Hair
So hair and hard water: what’s the connection?
The effects of hard water on your hair will vary depending on the hardness of the water and your hair type. Overall, though, you can expect it to leave your hair feeling dry and “weird.”
That “weirdness” comes from the buildup of minerals that will start to coat your hair. They can make your hair fall limp, look dull, and even lose color if you have color-treated hair.
If you have curls, you may notice that your hair has gotten less curly since you moved to your current home. This might be due to hard water.
Not only will the hard water itself cause problems, but trying to wash all of it out can make the problems worse. By over-using sulfate-heavy shampoos, you can further dry out your hair.
How to Fix The Problem
So what should you do about “hard water hair?”
If you own your home, you can get house water softeners. This is a great option that will save you a lot of trouble with your hair, skin, and clothing.
If you’re a renter, however, it isn’t that easy. You don’t have control over the home’s plumbing, so you can’t soften your water on your own and many landlords will be unwilling to help.
Buy a hard water shampoo (or a clarifying shampoo). This shampoo is going to be too harsh for daily use, but it’s helpful to use it once or twice a month to rinse out the hard water mineral buildup in your hair.
You could install a showerhead with a mineral filter, but these are hit and miss. It won’t harm your plumbing, but it might not be enough to solve the problem.
Hard Water and Hair: Time to Combat It
If you’ve been struggling with dry, limp, and dull locks, it might be time to look into clarifying shampoo to solve your hard water problem. Hard water and hair aren’t friends, but you can take steps to keep your hair soft and healthy even if you can’t soften your water.
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