Do You Have Hard Water Hair Damage?

Here's how to identify, treat, and prevent it, according to experts.

The hard truth is that hard water hair damage is more common than you think. All water isn’t clean and, depending on where you live, mineral particles in your water can accumulate inside your hair fibers. Hard water can be responsible for a suite of hair issues, from dullness and discoloration to frizziness and split ends.

We asked experts about ways hard water negatively affects your hair's color and texture, but all is not lost. They also offer solutions in the way of hair treatments, clarifying shampoos, and even a shower filter to help your hair win its battle against hard water.

Meet Our Expert

• Mary Wendel, MD, is the medical director of Medi Tresse, a hair loss treatment center for women.

• New York City-based Tiffanie Richards is a master colorist at Nunzio Saviano Salon.

• Hair color specialist and educator Adina Pignatare is a hair stylist at Designer's Edge in Southwick, Massachusetts.

What Is Hard Water and Why Is it a Problem for Hair?

“Having hard water essentially translates to high concentrations of dissolved minerals, usually calcium, magnesium, and iron,” says Dr. Mary Wendel. “These metals can sometimes make it feel like your hair is never completely clean, even after shampooing, and can overall make hair feel dry," she explains. "Also, the buildup of these minerals on the hair makes it difficult for hair dye to be absorbed, which means you’ll be spending a lot more of your hard-earned dollars at the salon.”

“The good news is that [hard water minerals] are typically not harmful to your internal health," Dr. Wendel assures, "but the buildup can cause hair to be dry, brittle, more frizzy, and appear less clean and more dull. The scalp in certain individuals can become irritated and inflamed, especially if you have a history of sensitive skin, psoriasis, or eczema.”

Hard water also makes haircare efforts less effective, according to colorist Tiffanie Richards. “The metal buildup can often prevent products from being able to function as they are made to do, so having a buildup on your hair is basically a shield against your regular shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, and even your styling tools,” she says.

Signs of Hard Water on Hair

How to know if your hair suffers from hard water damage? Firstly, listen to your hair and pay attention to any abnormal issues, starting with changing hair color. “Blondes have the downfall of showing metals in the hair while brunettes will only know by texture change,'' says Richards. “Blonde hair can start appearing anywhere from green-toned to brassy or metallic.”

Hard water can make your hair feel very dry with a waxy buildup. Richards also suggests holding up your ends and examining their texture: If they look a little filmy and “Barbie-like,” that means your natural shine is being smothered by metal buildup.

Do You Have Hard Water?

A weird but telltale sign of hard water can be found while cleaning your toilet. “I always ask my clients if they see a pink ring in their toilets or in the grout of the shower tile,” says hair color specialist Adina Pignatare. “This means that hard water is present.”

Can Hard Water Cause Hair Loss?

While hard water hasn't 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 blocks moisture from penetrating the hair, and dry hair leads to brittleness and breakage.

Mineral buildup can also weigh down hair at the scalp, giving the impression of flatter, thinner hair. More seriously, for those with scalp issues like eczema or psoriasis, hard water can exacerbate those conditions, resulting in hair loss.

Repairing Hair Damaged by Hard Water

The good news is there are ways to fix hair damaged by hard water. Here are suggestions for navigating your hair on the road to repair.

Use a Clarifying Shampoo

Changing up your shampoo formulation is an easy place to start. Switch to a clarifying shampoo, which is buffed with extra ingredients like apple cider vinegar, charcoal, or mineral salts that are powerful enough to remove residue that your normal formula can't. As a rule, aim to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove buildup.

Rinse With Apple Cider Rinse

If you're the DIY type or the frugal type, a rinse with apple cider vinegar rinse may be your best bet. This chemical-free, all-natural solution packs hair-healthy vitamins B and C to help strengthen hair, and it thwarts irritation by lowering your scalp’s pH.

Because apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, it's not for everyday use. Nevertheless, it's an effective clarifying treatment to use occasionally, every 2 to 4 weeks at most.

Try a Hair Oil Treatment

Wherever you buy haircare products, look into an oil treatment specifically designed to help protect hair from harmful metals. Simply adding a hair oil—such as L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox Concentrated Oil (amazon.com)—to your haircare routine can quickly help neutralize and detoxify metals in your hair.

Apply a Hair Mask

Using a nourishing hair mask at least two times a week can help restore your hair's moisture and shine. Apply it after shampooing—massaging well from the scalp to the tips—and leave it on for at least 5 minutes, which gives moisture from the mask plenty of time to penetrate the strands. Afterward, a final rinse is all you need.

Consult a Professional

If your hair needs a bit more TLC, you may want to go to a salon for a professional cleaning and/or clarifying treatment. Richards recommends Redken Pre Art Clarifying Treatment (redken.com), a professional in-salon treatment that goes on clear. Once the treatment is complete, you can physically see the color of the metals coming out of your hair.

Get a Haircut

It may seem like a cop-out, but a fresh cut can signal a clean break between accepting hard water damage and establishing a new haircare routine. A trim of broken hair strands and straggly ends can erase some of the damage and start you down a new path. A brightening color refresh can also counteract dullness caused by hard-water minerals.

Preventing the Effects of Hard Water on Your Hair

Your hair isn't the only negative effect of hard water, but it may be the most personal and noticeable one. Consider these tips for preventing damage from hard water on your hair, the rest of your body, and your home.

Turn Down the Temperature Setting

This is the least expensive way to avoid damage from hard water, but it may also be the most uncomfortable: End your hair-washing session with cold water. A chilly finale seals your cuticles—closing them off to harmful minerals—to give your hair a bit of extra shine.

Cold Water Is Good for You

Recent studies have confirmed long-held beliefs that showering and bathing in cold water is good for more than just hair:

• A Netherlands study found that a hot-to-cold shower routine resulted in a fewer absences from work due to self-reported sickness.

• In 2007, researchers connected cold showers to anti-tumor immunity and improved cancer survival.

• A cold shower is also thought to relieve depression by sending an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain.

Rinse with Filtered Water

Consider purchasing a jug of filtered water or using a water filter pitcher, and storing it in your bathroom. When it comes to a final rinse after shampooing, use filtered water instead of the showerhead. At all other times in the shower, wear a shower cap to avoid incidental exposure to hard water.

Invest in a Shower Filter

Consider investing in a good shower filter that removes contaminants and minerals. All shower filters look pretty similar, but there are key specifications you should keep in mind before buying, including the type of filtration system, your shower type, and the filter's longevity.

If a filtering showerhead is too pricey, just switching out an old showerhead with a new one can help. Old showerheads can be lined with limescale, adding even more minerals to your hair and skin.

Consider a Whole-House Water Softener

Water softeners are appliances that filter minerals out of your water before it flows to the rest of your house. Inside a water softener are resin beads that trap minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium, keeping them out of your hair, off your skin, and away from your appliances.

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple.