It is common knowledge that many of our daily habits can harm our hair. Eating a poor diet, leading a stressful lifestyle, avoiding exercise, and not getting enough sleep may cause new or worsening hair loss and poor hair growth. There is another not-so-well-known daily habit that may be quietly damaging our scalp and hair health: showering with unfiltered water.
Can My Shower Water Cause Hair Loss?
Shower water is rarely a direct cause of hair loss, but it can certainly contribute to it. Chemicals and minerals in tap water can damage your hair, causing dryness, breakage, excess shedding, and stunted growth.
Chlorine is added to municipal water systems to discourage bacterial growth. Unfortunately, it strips away the hair’s natural oil barrier. This dries out the scalp and hair shaft, leading to brittleness and breakage.
Hard water is a common problem throughout much of the United States. Mineral deposits in the ground (specifically magnesium and calcium) find their way into local water systems. When one showers, these minerals collect on one’s scalp and hair. They clog follicles, irritate the scalp, and further strip hair of its normal oils. This discourages hair growth, leads to dry, brittle hair, and causes an itchy, flaking scalp.
How Do You Know If Water Is Causing Your Hair Loss?
A visible indicator that you have hard water is crusty or soapy buildup on your shower head, shower glass, or tiles. You may also notice difficulty in achieving adequate lather when shampooing your hair, or difficulty in rinsing out shampoo. Over time, mineral deposits from hard water may impact your hair, leading to irritation, clogged follicles, hair shaft breakage, or excess shedding.
Signs that your shower water may be irritating your scalp or exacerbating hair loss include:
- Increased shedding.
- Dry hair or scalp.
- Itchy scalp.
- Flaking scalp or worsening dandruff.
- Dull looking hair.
- Excessive tangling.
- Split ends.
- Brittle or breaking hair shafts.
- Difficulty styling hair.
- Fading hair color.
Is a Shower Filter Good for Your Hair?
A showerhead filter may be beneficial for your hair. Filtration heads and attachments remove a large percentage of hair-damaging chlorine, minerals, and other contaminants from your water. Adding shower filtration probably will not reverse existing hair loss. It will, however, reduce damaging impurities and create better conditions for healthier hair growth.
In addition to adding a shower filter, you may be able to counteract the effects of hard water by using a clarifying shampoo, adding deep conditioning treatments to your haircare routine, or adding a whole home filtration or water softening system.
Can a Water Filtration System be Good for Hair?
A whole house water filtration system provides additional levels of protection for your hair. A whole house system removes a wider range of chemicals and contaminants than a shower head filter alone. Many homeowners also install a water softener with their filtration system. This reduces hard water minerals like magnesium and calcium that can damage your hair.
Additional benefits of addressing hard water and chlorine in your water include:
- Less residue buildup: Not only is filtered water better for your hair, but it is also better for your home. Filtered water removes deposits that can build up in your home’s pipes and on your shower walls.
- Improved respiratory health: Water filters remove chemicals and other contaminants that would otherwise be inhaled while taking a shower.
- Improved skin health: Filtered water protects the skin’s natural moisture barrier and is less irritating for those with sensitive skin.
Getting to the Root of Your Hair Loss
Precision Hair Restoration can determine the cause of your hair loss and help you create the most effective plan to address it. If you’re experiencing hair loss, contact us today to set up a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you achieve a thicker, fuller head of hair.
