Hard Water and Hair

Water is considered “hard” when it has high levels of minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. These minerals can buildup in your hair and prevent proper retention of moisture leading to dry brittle hair that is prone to breakage.

Signs that your water may be hard is if you notice a film on your hands or dishes after washing with soap as the calcium in the water can create a reaction with the contents of the soap. You may notice that the water pressure in your home decreases over time because the pipes start to have mineral buildup.

You may be wondering what to do if you have hard water to keep your hair from breaking. One option is to try to address the water issue. You can add a water softener to your home system. This involves using a resin made from trees/plants that has positively charged sodium ions. As the water passes through the calcium and magnesium are replaced by sodium. You should talk with your water softener company to determine how much sodium is in your water, especially if you have a medical reason that you need to restrict your sodium content in your diet. This can be an expensive endeavor to add a water softener to your water system. Another option would be to add a shower head that has a carbon filter to try to remove the minerals from the water. This can be a much more affordable option.