Why Hard Water is Tough on Your Hair

Hard water causes inconvenience and damage throughout the home, but a water softener doesn’t only excel at protecting your appliances from the effects of hard water; it also protects you! 

 

We’ve posted before about how hard water affects our skin, but hard water is very unkind to hair as well. 

 

You’ll often hear of people moving from soft to hard water areas and wondering why their hair is suddenly suffering – it's largely to do with hard water (chlorine is also a significant factor!). 

The natural oils that protect our skin and hair (sebum, produced in hair follicles – composed of things including lipids and fatty acids) keep our skin and hair hydrated and protected. The minerals in hard water react with sebum in a similar way that they react with the surfactants in soap and shampoo. 

 

This can leave a residue that can clog pores in skin, compromising the skin’s ability to protect itself, and also leaves a residue on the hair itself. The surfactants in shampoo, which are the compounds that cause it to lather and clean hair, are also susceptible to the same reactions with calcium and magnesium ions in hard water. These residues cling to hair and make it harder for shampoos and conditioners to do their job. The minerals in hard water can also stick to the surface of hairs, making it less smooth, and more dull. 

 

This can also clog pores and hair follicles in your scalp, affecting hair formation and growth. 

 

Another key component of healthy hair and skin are cells called Keratinocytes. These originate in the basal layer of the epidermis, and then change their composition as they make their way to the surface. They start as living cells and then die as they migrate to the surface, leaving a protective layer making up the skin barrier. 

 

This process is affected by calcium imbalance – from the lower to top layers of the epidermis, there is a gradient in calcium that this keratinocyte migration depends on. Altered calcium levels on the scalp can throw this off, compromising the skin barrier to form and maintain itself normally. This could be a significant factor in your scalp feeling dry or damaged. 

 

Chlorine also has a big role to play – the lipids and proteins we have mentioned can be damaged and removed by chlorine. Chlorine is so effective at killing bacteria because it attacks cell walls, but the drawback here is that chlorine doesn’t have to feel choosy about what it attacks, so it can also damage the natural oils that protect your hair, along with the hard water. 

Here at the PWP, we can soften the water for your home supply, and also filter chlorine and other chemicals, so that the water you are bathing with is soft AND free of chemicals such as chlorine. 

 

Get in touch with us to find out how we can protect your hair and your home from hard water!