Is it common for you to find heaps of hair in your brush? Or do you find your broken hair strands on your work desk?
Then, it is time to get into some introspection of the situation.
In most of the cases of hair loss. Poor nutrition and hair cuticle damage top the causes.
But if the analysis does not point to these 2 reasons as the suspect. Then, it is quite probable to put the blame on your water supply source.
Most of us lay stress on the purity of water that we drink. But we tend to forget about the one that we use for external purposes.
That is why it is important to understand the water and hair loss scenario.
Tap Water Hair Loss Equation
Water at each location is different. That means where you stay has a bearing on your hair quality and quantity.
I am sure you must have undergone instances of increased hair loss with a shift to a new location.
The reason for losing hair is the presence of additives in tap water. The common ingredients found in tap water are:
Chlorine, Fluoride, Lead and other heavy metals
Molds and micro-organisms
Dirt, dust and other impurities
There are also other heavy metals such as Arsenic, Mercury, and Chromium. The presence and strength of these depend on the water source of the respective region.
Also, rusting of pipes and leaching of lead adds to the havoc.
These metals form toxic compounds in the body that lead to wasting of nutrients. That means proteins, vitamins, and minerals do not get utilized by the body for hair formation. Instead, their goodness gets defeated.
The metals compounds travel in the body via the bloodstream. Thus increasing the probability for oxidation or hormone disruption in the entire body.
Thus, they cause hair thinning and discoloration. They also prevent the growth of new follicles. The common examples of such compounds include sodium fluoride.
Since these oxidize the hair follicles. Thus, they lead to reduced growth of new hair. Moreover, these compounds block the scalp tissues. Thereby causing hair to fall. These factors of hair damage affect both men and women in equal measures.
In men, these compounds lead to the typical U-shaped male pattern baldness. These harmful compounds transform testosterone into DHT. DHT is the bad guy that causes male alopecia.
In most of the cases, alopecia is genetic. But the quality of water plays a huge role in hair loss as well.
In women, the counterpart of DHT-induced hair fall is PCOS hair loss. That is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. PCOS has a lot of symptoms. Hair fall is one of its prominent ones. The toxic compounds in water are one of the reasons for the formation of this hormone-induced issue.
These metal contaminants enter our bodies through both ingestion and external applications.
That is why we need to test our water source.
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How to Check If Hair Loss Is Due to Water Quality
If you suffer from hair loss for a long time. Then, it is a little difficult to zero in on 1 particular reason for hair fall. But if your hair loss is sudden. Then, it is quite probable to be the tap water hair loss.
All you need is a device that checks the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in water.
You can conduct the test with this device. Take a sample of your water. Insert this device into the water. The device will show a reading.
The reading will determine whether there is a presence of harmful additives in the water.
It is a common belief that borewell water causes hair fall. A simple test by this device can ascertain this claim.
To tackle contaminated water. Then, you can take a further course of action to turn it safe for your use.
Tips for Washing Hair in Hard Water
If your water source comes out clean. Then, there is no need to worry. You can continue using it for bathing purposes. But if you detect contaminants in it. Then, you ought to filter/treat it before using it.
You can do the following:
1. Install a water filter
This is the best step you can take to save your hair. You can thank me later. I use this charcoal filter that plugs into the tap.
It purifies the water by not letting the impurities pass through its membrane.
Its installation does not require any construction menace. You can insert it to your tap with ease. Though, I had to look for a connector. As my tap’s width and the filter’s hose were a mismatch.
If you want a filter on your shower, instead of the tap. Then, you can try this one below:
It also has coconut charcoal as a filter. The filter is strong enough to not allow heavy metals and molds to pass through.
2. Use alum to separate out the impurities
If you cannot afford any of the filters (tap/shower). Then, you can try to separate out the impurities by the process of sedimentation.
Alum is a perfect solution to this. It is a mineral that binds to impurities and pushes them to the bottom. Thus, the water becomes much safer for hair wash.
Alum is also good for the skin. It closes the pores, thus helps in sealing in the moisture. It may not work as a complete filter. But it does help with separating out the prominent impurities and softening the water.
3. Use a clarifying shampoo and a chelating agent
Since the hard water builds up matter on the hair and scalp. It is necessary to wash off the deposits stuck to hair and scalp.
The traditional shampoos are not good at this job. Rather, due to their own petroleum-based ingredients. They add more to the buildup instead of removing it.
A non-lathering shampoo with ingredients from the pantry is enough to tackle this job.
Along with you can also use a chelating agent. That is the substance that breaks the buildup. My simple conditioner recipe of apple cider vinegar is perfect for this purpose.
In Conclusion
Water is essential for hair. It forms the structure of the hair. Dehydration leads to limpness and breakage of hair. Even the wrong kind of water causes the same issues.
Hard water has a lot of undesirable elements. It has hard metals, minerals, toxins, and salts.
These play havoc on the well-being of hair. Not only they restrict the scalp cells with blockages. But also form a thin layer on the surface of hair strands. Both these aspects alter the growth of hair and cause them to break.
The solution lies in identifying the presence of these elements in the water. And then, using a filter to sieve them.
Fresh and pure water has a positive effect on hair. It keeps the hair hydrated. It also does not cause buildup.
By following a thorough check on the source of water. You can banish tap water hair loss issues with ease.
Image Source: Pixabay
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