Table Of Content
Traction alopecia is the result of environmental factors, such as wearing your hair in tight hairstyles, Agbai says. Telogen effluvium refers to the excessive shedding of hair follicles, and it occurs when hair follicles prematurely skip to the end of the hair growth cycle, she adds. If you’ve noticed an excessive amount of hair shedding, a receding hairline, or that the hair on the crown of your head becoming increasingly sparse, you’re probably experiencing a form of hair loss. Losing your hair can be a distressing experience, but you’re not alone. If you, like me, have curly and frizz-prone hair, hard water could be holding you back from high-definition spirals or a sleek and shiny blow-out. The heavy mineral coating weighs down your hair and erodes the hair’s elasticity by lifting the cuticle and allowing for easier build-up.
Special Health Reports
Can Hair Dye Cause Hair Loss? - Real Simple
Can Hair Dye Cause Hair Loss?.
Posted: Thu, 30 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Hard water leads to hair thinning and breakage, which may result in some hair loss. However, there are no links between hard water and alopecia in somebody with a healthy scalp. The calcium and magnesium in hard water come from mineral-rich rocks, like sandstone and limestone. They’re retained in water and aren’t removed during treatment because they have no major known health effects – in fact, we need calcium and magnesium in our diets. Hard water is water that contains calcium and magnesium minerals. Most drinking water in the US is derived from natural water sources that are naturally high in hardness minerals.
Signs of Hard Water on Hair (and How to Counter Its Effects)
However, there are several ways to prevent hard water damage and keep your hair healthy. If your hair has become dry and brittle due to the hard water deposits, consider using a deep conditioning mask following your clarifying treatment. "To help repair any hair damage, it can help to use a deep conditioning mask or oils to help nourish the hairs," explains Garshick.
document.getElementsByTagName('head') .appendChild(rs);
The good news is that you can still prevent damage using these hair-washing techniques. “These [shower heads] have cartridges that are filled with carbon to remove the minerals before the water touches the hair,” says Martino Cartier, hairstylist and owner of Martino Cartier Salon. Additionally, Dr. Patrick Angelos, author of “The Science and Art of Hair Restoration,” says that hair loss can occur when hard water is severely affecting the scalp. This, however, is more common in people with eczema or psoriasis. One study involving 70 males found that hair lost strength when exposed to hard water, compared with deionized water.
This study was undertaken to determine whether hard water would adversely affect the tensile strength and elasticity of hair. The best way to treat hair damaged by hard water is to introduce moisture with hair masks and oils. You can prevent mineral build-up by installing a water softener or a shower head filter that’s designed to remove hardness minerals from your water. Hard water can be damaging to your hair as it contains high levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals can accumulate on your hair, making it feel dry and brittle, and they can irritate your scalp.
22 scalp serums to support a healthy scalp and hair growth - Get The Gloss
22 scalp serums to support a healthy scalp and hair growth.
Posted: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In the long run, hard water may boost dandruff, trigger gradual hair thinning, or even lead to permanent hair loss. As you can see, two studies with volunteers of around the same age produced two different findings. To further complicate the problem, some of the minerals found in hard water are even used as remedies for hair loss. All in all, the conclusion, determining if hard water causes baldness, seems yet to be answered. But aside from your skin and hair, there is another way to tell if you have hard water in your home.
Cleanse with Apple Cider Vinegar and Other Chelating Agents
There’s still a lot we don’t know about the effects of hard water on hair loss – and it’s important to note the studies that paint hard water in a better light. I spent most of my life believing my hair was a dry, tangled, and brittle mess, only to move away from home and realize that it wasn't my hair—it was the water. Hard water can result in less-than-favorable results on the hair front, but can it also lead to hair loss? When hardness minerals accumulate on the hair, they reduce the hair’s ability to absorb moisture from shampoos, conditioners, and the other products in your hair care routine. In conclusion, it’s difficult to say for certain whether or not hard water can affect hair strength and elasticity significantly enough to cause hair loss.
Can A Shower Filter Really Transform Your Hair?
Understanding the potential risks of washing your hair with hard water, some may want to seek a solution for their hair or even their overall shower, as hard water can also affect the skin. You can take several approaches to combat hard water, including upgrading your cleansing products and investing in a specialized shower head. While hard water has not been linked directly to hair elasticity, experts say it can contribute to issues that increase the likelihood of hair loss. This is especially true considering hard water makes it harder for moisture to penetrate the hair, and dry hair leads to brittleness and breakage.
Minerals like chloride, iron, copper, silica, lead, manganese, and cadmium impact scalp health and lead to hair loss over the passage of time. Dermatologist Dr Yulia Krasnaya from Evolution Aesthetics Clinic explains that “hard water can leave several signs on your skin, indicating potential damage. One common sign is dryness or tightness after washing, as hard water can strip away natural oils, leaving the skin feeling parched. If your water is hard and it’s severely affecting your pipes and your appliances, you may want to consider installing a water-softening system (consult with a plumber first). A simpler solution, and one that should do the trick if you have hard water, is buying a showerhead filter.
If you have hard water Stollmeyer suggests a water softener faucet for a long-term solution. This can help “remove minerals like calcium, magnesium, and help hair to feel softer and healthier.” Harper suggests T3 Source Showerhead ($150). “If you can remove as many impurities from the water, you will begin to see immediate results,” says Harper.
According to Franco, you should also look out for flakes or rough, dry and brittle strands. Dawson describes hair affected by metal as having a “gritty, dry texture,” which can lead to breakage and a bad metallic smell. My hair quickly saw the benefits with less frizz, less shedding, and my skin felt less itchy. Previously, to revive day-three hair, I had to do my full haircare routine – shampoo, condition, meticulously layer styling products. But since installing a hard-water shower head, I simply wet my hair, run a bit of conditioner through my curls to rehydrate them, and use a lot less cream and gel to get my hair shiny and defined.
Hard water causing hair damage can be a very stressful situation. Even if there isn’t an established link between hard water and hair loss, you should still take the above preventative measure to better the health of your hair. Washing your hair with hard water and not opting for hair care can be very damaging for your hair. Investing in a tap-water filter is a simple step to prevent hair damage due to hard water. However, it is advisable to seek the advice of an experienced dermatologist to get a customised solution for reversing the hair damage incurred and preventing hair loss. Excessive hair breakage or textural change due to hard water is a reversible condition.
No comments:
Post a Comment