Hair loss is a tragic situation, and the worst part is we all have to face it at some point of time in life. There can be one or more reasons to lose hair and in order to get the right treatment you need to find the exact cause of hair loss. Aging, heredity and stress are not the major factors to cause hair loss. In some cases, hard water cause hair loss too.
Debate on Does Hard Water Cause Hair Loss
Hard water is a type of water that contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and copper in a high proportion. Though, drinking hard water does not have any effect on your body, but unfortunately it can damage your tresses big-time? It can make your hair frizzy, cause split ends and in the worst scenario change the color of your hair. There has been much debate on does hard water cause hair loss? Well, there is no strong evidence from medical professional to find a the real cause of hair fall but, some studies reveal that hard water can affect the health of your hair.
Effects of hard water minerals on hair
Hard water can cause hair thinning problems. Many medical professionals do not believe this but relation between both terms is believed to be true for some people who are constantly under its usage. This due to the fact that minerals in hard water cause dryness, breakage and eventually thinning. It may weigh the hair down, making it look thinner. More often than not, hair fall is because of stress, poor hair care habits or some medical problem. There’s no denying in the fact that hard water is not good for your hair, but yes it is not the only factor contributing to hair fall problem.
Presence of calcium and magnesium in hard water can make your hair brittle and frizzy which may trigger eczema. Seborrheic dermatitis or commonly known as scalp eczema is a type of eczema that causes redness, itching, flaking and the development of oily, scaly patches on the scalp.
Magnesium is responsible for taking away the shine from the hair, making it dry and unmanageable. Your hair loses its natural wavy look. Iron content in hard water damages the hair making it brittle. One can also get split ends, which cannot be repaired. Washing your hair with hard water may lead to discoloration or graying of hair due to copper presence. In addition, it is also said to make your hair dull and lifeless, according some researchers.
The minerals in hard water prevent lathering of soap, so you are prompted to use more soap which in turn strips natural oils from the scalp. The soap residue sticks to the scalp even after rinsing off causing to irritation. Lastly, the minerals in hard water leave deposits on the hair surface, meaning it does not reflect light well and can look dull.
Ways to deal with hard water
Here are some ways you can deal with hard water for your hair care need.
After you have washed your hair you can apply some lemon or vinegar and rinse this off. However, the downside of using lemon is that its smell can stay even after you rinse it off, which some people may not like. You can also think of installing a water softener, which is expensive but a great option to save your hair from hard water.
A special filter shower head can is another alternate way to deal with hard water. This will help you to filter chlorine and many other chemicals. Use a herbal shampoo which has good amount pH balance, followed by an aloe conditioner that will help to keep your hair soft, shiny and you can get the required moisture. It is advisable to use shampoo which does not contain parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate. Use reverse osmosis (RO) process to filter hard water or a bottled water for the final rinse if hard water is giving you a tough time.
It seems strange that how hard water can have bad consequences on your hair, but we cannot conclude that it causes hair fall. Whatever be the reason for hair loss, it is better to find the right solution for it without any delay.
