Numerous factors can impact the health of your hair, including your diet, chemical exposure, frequency of coloring or styling, and the kind of water you use to wash it. It is believed that shampooing with "hard water" increases the risk of hair loss. What are the facts?

Effects of shampooing with hard water

The condition of the water you use daily can affect the condition of your hair and skin. In terms of the minerals contained in water, water can be divided into two categories: "hard water" and "soft water."

Hard water is water that has a high mineral content, such as calcium and magnesium. The higher the calcium and magnesium content, the harder this water is compared to other types of water. Meanwhile, soft water is water that is high in salt content but low in calcium and magnesium. Based on acidity, hard water generally has a pH of around 7-8, while soft water has a pH of around 6-7.

Hard water is not harmful to health, but using hard water for bathing and shampooing can affect skin conditions. A 2016 study revealed that shampooing with hard water can damage hair. According to the research conducted, shampooing with hard water for 30 days can cause hair to decrease in thickness, make it difficult to manage, and make it look disheveled.

The high calcium and magnesium content can inhibit the absorption of moisturizers from the shampoo. The calcium and mineral content also inhibit the formation of foam, which causes the cleaning process to be less effective.

Symptoms of hair damage from shampooing with hard water that you may experience include:

• Easy breakage
• Thinning
• Tangle
• Dry scalp
• Dull
• Hair color fades to greenish or yellowish
• Stiff and unruly

In the long run, shampooing with hard water that has a high calcium and magnesium content can affect healthy hair growth. The habit of shampooing with hard water can cause hair to break easily, including newly grown hair. When your hair breaks easily and is weak, it also looks thin and unhealthy.

If you are used to dyeing your hair, hair exposed to hard water can also make your hair coloring job difficult. The paint color is likely to have a hard time penetrating into the hair, also causing dry and difficult-to-style hair.

The hair will then receive more stress, which can weaken the hair. For those with eczema or psoriasis, shampooing with hard water can also aggravate dry scalp conditions.

How to deal with damaged hair due to hard water

To prevent hair damage from getting worse due to shampooing with hard water, here are some things you can do:

• Installing a carbon filter at the shower head or faucet end can help remove excess mineral content from the water line before it reaches the skin and hair
• Use shampoo according to the type of hair damage. Choose a shampoo that strips the hair of excess minerals, You can choose a shampoo that is specially formulated for dry or damaged hair
• Using hair masks regularly, 2 times a week, can help restore moisture to your hair. You can also add a conditioner that locks in moisture

The water used for bathing and shampooing can affect the condition of the skin, hair and scalp. If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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