Yes. Well water can cause hair loss and hair damage. However, the good news is that this damage is not permanent, and you can reverse it in 2-3 weeks.
Why Well Water Causes Hair Loss?
Well water is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron. Showering with hard well water causes mineral build-up on your scalp, preventing nutrients or moisture from reaching hair follicles when you apply oil or shampoo.
Malnourished hair follicles first make your hair dull and dry. The dry hair ultimately start to fall. This is the reason your combs and brushes are stuck with dead hair.
Calcium and magnesium also affect the hair shaft, making it difficult to style and comb. Moreover, salts and chlorides in well water can dry out your hair, making them brittle and prone to breakage whenever your brush your hair.
Hard well water can also affect colored hair. Copper reacts with coloring agents in the dye and gives you unwanted shades. Iron can give a slightly red/green tint to light-colored hair. Moreover, well water reduces the life of your hair dye.
Also Read: Why is Well Water Turning Hair Orange?
How to identify what’s Causing Hair Loss? Is it really Well Water or something else?
Did the hair loss happen after you moved to a home with a private well, or did you stay somewhere and showered with well water? Or the hair loss started after some medication?
There can be various reasons behind hair loss. Hence, it is important to consult a doctor before fixing the problem. Morover, you should get your well water tested to check the hardness level in the water.
How to Avoid Hair Loss while Showering with Hard Well Water?
Use a Water Softener
A water softener is the most effective way to make well water safe for your hair and appliances. The softener removes calcium and magnesium from water and replaces them with sodium or potassium in the ion exchange process. A typical salt-based water softener is installed at the water’s point of entry and makes water soft for every tap in your home.
You can also buy a salt-free water softener (water conditioner) for softening water. However, it is not as effective as a salt-based softener. A water conditioner is great for apartments, RVs, or rented places.
- Recommended Salt-Based Water Softener: SpringWell’s Salt Based Water Softener System
SpringWell’s salt-based water softener is reliable and powerful for whole-house use. The unit comes with a Bluetooth control head to manage the salt and backwash settings.
It has a separate brine tank for quick and effective softening. The separate tank also makes maintenance easy. You can pair the unit with a whole-house water filter or a UV filtration system to improve water quality.
- Recommended Salt-Free Water Softener (Water Conditioner): SpringWell’s FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener
A salt-free water softener is great for people who don’t like salt replacement or brine discharge. It is also the only option for homeowners in states that have banned salt-based water softeners.
SpringWell’s salt-free water softener delivers up to 20 GPM flow rate for a 7-bathroom home. It is one of the most powerful salt-free water softeners. You can use it to treat extremely hard water.
Install Shower Filters
Shower filters come in handy when you can’t install a water softener at your home. These filters are easy to install and one cartridge lasts for 2-3 months, depending on cartridge, water quality, and usage.
What to do when you have only Hard Water to Shower?
The following tips will help you avoid hair damage if you don’t have any other option but to shower with hard water.
Use a Clarifying Shampoo: A clarifying shampoo helps remove the mineral buildup on your scalp, ensuring that your hair gets nutrients. Make sure you buy a shampoo that addresses mineral removal and specifically made for hard water.
Use Hair Mask: A hair mask can help restore your hair to its original condition after bathing with hard water. Health experts recommend using a hair mask twice a week for better results.
Citrus and Vinegar Rinse: Vinegar and citrus work great for removing hard water buildups. They also give miraculous results when you apply them to your scalp.
Use Bottled Water: Though expensive but this method takes care of your hair in the best way. Bottled water does contain minerals but in trace amounts. You can bathe with hard water but use bottled water to wash your hair.
Is Hair Loss Due to Hard Well Water Reversible?
Yes. It is possible to manage and reverse hair loss due to well water. You must visit a hair expert as soon as possible. Discuss the problem and follow their suggestions.
Each skin and hair type is different. The doctor will probably recommend hair care products to strengthen your hair based on your hair type.
