Is hard water bad for hair?

[Druid of Alba]

I am just wondering if hard water is bad for hair. If so, how?

[akurah]

My water is so hard that when my bathtub is dry, there is a thin, dusty, chalk-like coating over it.

Here are some things that may better answer your question:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_water#Hardness_in_water_can_cause_water_to_fo rm_scales_and_a_resistance_to_soap.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01539.htm
http://styles101.homestead.com/hwater.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Hard-Water-Hair&id=773520

Despite the "scary" level of hard water as illustrated by those articles, my hair isn't significantly worse for wear or ruined by my hard water. But I also henna my hair and I use conventional shampoos and conditioners, which may affect that.

[suicides_eve]

Yes. I have very hard water it is mostly full of iron when my hair was bleached it would keep a red tint to it. My hair was always knotty dry and brittle. I know several woman on here use apple cider vinegar to 'rinse' the minerals and what not out. le It works but it was to much effort to do every single time .I went to Home Depot and bought a shower head filter. my hair as drastically improved, it is soft and not wiry. My skin an complexion have also noticeable changed after a while of use. I would recomend you get one they only cost about $20 comapred to a whole water soften sytem which costs $$$$

[Druid of Alba]

http://www.aquasmart.com/pdfs/385%20showerpurifier1.pdf

Check this out, it sounds like a really good one. Do you think it would help my hair (and skin for that matter).

[akurah]

Don't invest in a shower filter until you get your water tested. The type of filter you need depends on the type of hard water you have.

[teela1978]

In my experience hard water doesn't necessarially hurt your hair, but it makes it much more difficult to clean/condition. I switched to commercial products after moving from an area with good water to one with hard water because CO and other more natural methods stopped working as well. I do find that a vinegar rinse (one glurg of vinegar diluted in a big plastic cup, dip ends in, dump over head, let sit for a bit then rinse out) helps a bit with buildup/rinsing/etc....

I've been experimenting with baking soda washing recently and that's been working pretty well but I haven't done it long term. It's the only "alternative" washing method I've gotten to remotely work in hard water.

[Kazazi]

Huh, I am confused now. In the Wikipedia article linked above, it says that the skin feels more slippery in soft water because the soap rinses off less easily. I thought the problem with *hard* water was that it's harder to rinse off the soap?

[Druid of Alba]

Wikipedia is often wrong. Don't trust it.

[akurah]

Huh, I am confused now. In the Wikipedia article linked above, it says that the skin feels more slippery in soft water because the soap rinses off less easily. I thought the problem with *hard* water was that it's harder to rinse off the soap?

Soft water does not mean pure water with no minerals, fwiw. Soft water can have crap in it too, but it's generally kinder on your hair.

http://www.softwater.com/faq.html#h9
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa082403a.htm

And for someone who doesn't do much of their own research, Druid of Alba, I think you are entirely too quick to judge wikipedia. It's not the end all be all, of course, but it is a lot more accurate than most people give it credit. :twocents:

[Stephanie1957]

I am just wondering if hard water is bad for hair. If so, how?


Hello,

This link will provide you with some information on hard water.
http://www.ecmode.com/content/Cn_Hair_Solutions_Hard_Water.aspx

Malibu Hard Water

I use it and like it a lot.

Stephanie

[suicides_eve]

Don't invest in a shower filter until you get your water tested. The type of filter you need depends on the type of hard water you have.

mine is a multi variety type shower head made for a huge selection of nasties.

i never had my water tested but i know it has stuff in it b/c we have to change the well water filter very often.

inmo ,i would do the water testing only if i was getting a full house water treatment system.
i personally would rather spend a few bucks for something that dose a reasonably great job for my hair then having to spend hundreds on a install for my house. but thats just me.

[akurah]

Hello,

This link will provide you with some information on hard water.
http://www.ecmode.com/content/Cn_Hair_Solutions_Hard_Water.aspx

Malibu Hard Water

I use it and like it a lot.

Stephanie

While that product itself may help with hard water and its effects on hair, their explanations are suspect at best. I wouldn't believe what they say about hard water without double checking what they're saying elsewhere.
http://thebeautybrains.com/2006/06/22/beauty-q-a-does-malibu-treatment-remove-hard-water-and-rust-stains-from-hair/

[sipnsun]

We had soft water for years, and then moved and now we have hard water. I know my hair and skin have completely changed. Our water has a lot of sulfer in it, and my hair is oily all the time, and my skin stays irritated. I will definately go to the hardware store and look into a filter, I don't know why I never thought of just puting one in my shower. The complete systems are just so expensive! Great question and thanks for all the info!