If your hair is feeling particularly brittle, the problem might be in your water, not your hair care routine.
These days it’s not unusual to have a whole cadre of hair care products. There’s something different for days when your hair is too full or weighed down, overly greasy, and everything in between. But if you find you’re turning to these products more often than usual, it might be time to investigate other culprits.
The quality of your water might be changing the pH balance of your hair, creating more bad hair days than you’d like. As strange as it seems, poor water quality can be responsible for things like excessive dryness, dullness, and even dehydration of your ‘do.
While water supply varies from place to place, water treatment processes can help turn your hard water soft and remove contaminants—something your hair no doubt will thank you for.
What is Hard Water? Soft Water?
You may have heard the phrases “soft” water or “hard” water before, and thought that was crazy—water is a liquid. But these terms actually refer to the level of the mineral deposits that are present in it.
Soft water has higher rates of sodium. Consequently, you’ll see softer water in areas with higher deposits of sodium, like the Pacific Northwest or New England. However, roughly 85% of the U.S. population lives in a place with hard water with greater deposits of calcium or magnesium.
You won’t necessarily notice the makeup of the water from something like a taste test. Most people can drink either type of water with no side effects.
If you don’t know the difference, an easy test would be looking at your shower. If you see a white build up on your shower head, you’re likely in a place with hard water. Soft water doesn’t tend to come with mineral stains, build-up, or soap scum since it’s easier to wash off.
We can also provide a free and easy test to help you learn more about the water in your home. Call our team at Atlantic Blue Water Center at (410) 751-9200 to set up your screening today.
How Can Water Type Affect the Look and Feel of Your Hair?
Hard water and soft water both have their advantages and disadvantages. The minerals in hard water have been known to make hair dryer, frizzier, and fade in color (sometimes into a “brassy” look).
Soft water can make it harder to wash chemicals—even basic shampoo and conditioner—out of your hair. Particularly for those with thin or oil-prone hair, it can cause a greasy build-up.
Hard water can impact more than just hair too. Along with drier hair, drier skin is also a common issue. People with eczema may be especially vulnerable to the changes that hard water makes in your skin’s pH levels.
Overall, different hair types will appreciate different types of water. Switching locales (either on vacation or with a move) can show just how much your water supply is affecting your hair. But if that isn’t in the cards at the moment, reach out to us at Atlantic Blue Water Center for a free water test.
What Does Hard Water Do to Color-Treated Hair?
Those who have dyed their hair know that infrequent washing is the trick to extending the life of your color. But depending on the quality of the water coming out of your shower head, you may see different results.
Since soft water can leave hair feeling heavier, it might feel like it should be washed more frequently. Once you’re in the shower, that water—which tends to make it challenging to remove styling products—may mean you’re taking longer showers as it takes more thorough washes to cleanse your hair.
If you find you’re not sure whether the quality of your water is wrecking your hair, you may want to look into water treatment processes. At Atlantic Blue Water Center, we offer free testing, because we’re committed to helping people understand how the water in their home affects their lives.
Fixes for Your Hair and Home
There’s no reason to start skipping washes to keep that luster going longer. It is possible to change the quality of your water supply without moving to a new place entirely. Water treatments provide a way to soften even the toughest effects of hard water.
Using a procedure called ion exchange, we can soften your water, removing chemicals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, and replacing them with sodium for a softer water feel. By charging the molecules with a net electric burst, we can allow sodium to take the place of the magnesium and calcium in your water.
The result is that the hard water minerals get stuck inside a water softener tank, leaving you with softer water and healthier hair.
Our team can set you up with a smart and convenient water treatment system so that you can shower knowing that your hair is safe. Call Atlantic Blue Water Center at (410) 751-9200 to set up your screening today.