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skypilot

(8,854 posts)
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:45 AM Mar 2015

Hard water and hair loss.

I was recently on the verge of shaving my head. Over the last few years I'd noticed my hair getting dull, limp and thin. I was starting to resign myself to the thought that this is just what my hair was going to do as I got older (I turned 50 last year). I have dreads and a lot of them were getting thin and even breaking. I started to suspect that WATER was having a negative effect on my hair because my hair always seemed to get worse after a good washing or even just a rinse. I went to google "Water dries out my hair" and I got as far as "Water dries..." before Google auto-completed and there in the drop box were results for "water dries out my skin" and "water dries out my hair".

Turns out that "hard" water was doing major damage to my hair and scalp. I moved two years ago and I think the water in my new place is even harder than it was in my previous residence because the problem definitely seemed to get worse over the last couple years. I ended up ordering an Aquasana shower filter from Amazon. I paid to have the thing delivered the next day (the only time I've ever done that). Now, I'm not one to go around endorsing products, and I'm not trying to use DU for that purpose, but I have to say that this thing has made a ton of difference after just one week. In fact, I could feel the difference on my skin and hair after the first use. My skin and hair feel softer and cleaner after I shower and I can see and feel the thinness in my hair reversing. I also don't feel itchy when I get out of the shower, which was a problem I'd often have. Lately, I've been seeing lots of commercials for products and services to help with hair loss suffered by men AND WOMEN. I know that it's hereditary for some people but I can't help but wonder if some sufferers of hair loss are literally washing their hair down the drain with hard water. Obviously, it doesn't affect everyone but I wanted to put this out there in case there's anyone here who is having the same problems I was having. So far, I'm really impressed with this shower filter and wish that I'd bought it sooner. Hope this helps someone.

70 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Hard water and hair loss. (Original Post) skypilot Mar 2015 OP
Thanks, just wrote it down. oldandhappy Mar 2015 #1
Lots of 5 and 4 stars reviews... skypilot Mar 2015 #3
Calgon take me away libodem Mar 2015 #2
I'm hoping... skypilot Mar 2015 #4
I stayed with a friend who had a water softening system because of their very hard water. ND-Dem Mar 2015 #5
Sounds like the exact opposite... skypilot Mar 2015 #6
It feels more slick libodem Mar 2015 #7
yes, slick. but not like oil, and not like water. like-- i cant describe it. not like showering. ND-Dem Mar 2015 #8
I've experienced similar conditions libodem Mar 2015 #12
You just described how I felt every time I took a shower at my grandparents down in Florida Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #27
same here, i didn't feel like i got the soap off. and i don't remember it lathering well either. ND-Dem Mar 2015 #35
I live in central Texas where the aquifers are mostly limestone Trailrider1951 Mar 2015 #9
I've read about the vinegar solution. skypilot Mar 2015 #13
How does the white vinegar affect colors and black/navy blue? Hekate Mar 2015 #34
good question - KT2000 Mar 2015 #51
I started using white vinegar in my wash about 6 months ago madokie Mar 2015 #56
How hard is the water in Bowling Green, Ky.? KamaAina Mar 2015 #10
OK, I'm sorry but... skypilot Mar 2015 #15
Look on top of his head. KamaAina Mar 2015 #16
Oh, OK. skypilot Mar 2015 #17
Believe it or not, The Hair is not a rug, but a combover. KamaAina Mar 2015 #19
I dated a guy that got caught in the wind Oilwellian Mar 2015 #41
So you like baldies? KamaAina Mar 2015 #47
looks like a dead guinea pig notadmblnd Mar 2015 #29
is it a wig? ND-Dem Mar 2015 #36
It's "the worst toupee in the universe" KamaAina Mar 2015 #38
lol ND-Dem Mar 2015 #39
he wears it like a hat. doesnt bother to blend it in Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #45
He went gray and it didn't KamaAina Mar 2015 #46
yeah. lol Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #50
That's okay, I don't get the connection pintobean Mar 2015 #18
In all my years... skypilot Mar 2015 #21
that was funny renate Mar 2015 #33
For a lot of the 2naSalit Mar 2015 #11
I'm sure lifestyle and eating habits... skypilot Mar 2015 #14
I do agree with that too. n/t 2naSalit Mar 2015 #32
We have this problem in Arizona. Whenever I go on vacation I am amazed how soft & moisturized my jillan Mar 2015 #20
I haven't had to use any moisturizer... skypilot Mar 2015 #24
I'm glad it worked for you, but don't count on soft water to reverse hair loss DavidDvorkin Mar 2015 #22
I'm not expecting that exactly. skypilot Mar 2015 #23
Interesting. I have a feeling it wouldn't last long here, at 231 grains for our water Hekate Mar 2015 #25
My hair stopped feeling filmy when I started using pure shampoo (J.R. Liggett's). valerief Mar 2015 #26
My water is as hard as the rocks they drilled through to get to it. Warpy Mar 2015 #28
My hair isn't falling out. skypilot Mar 2015 #30
The smell goes away when it dries. Warpy Mar 2015 #31
I'm going to check that out mcar Mar 2015 #37
I really hope that... skypilot Mar 2015 #40
Oh yes I have mcar Mar 2015 #42
I use a water softener. Water is extremely soft after conditioning. Love it. BlueJazz Mar 2015 #43
I live in an apartment... skypilot Mar 2015 #44
One of my friends uses this > Loves it! BlueJazz Mar 2015 #55
Thank you for this. Going to check this out. skypilot Mar 2015 #58
Bookmarking for when I get paid. Jamastiene Mar 2015 #48
Here's a link to their site. skypilot Mar 2015 #59
is it hard to install? Skittles Mar 2015 #49
Not...at...all skypilot Mar 2015 #60
I live in the mountains and have washed my hair and taken... chillfactor Mar 2015 #52
different body chemistry skypilot Mar 2015 #61
mostly replying mercuryblues Mar 2015 #53
Aquasana link skypilot Mar 2015 #64
I've had soft water since 1978 and now I'm bald. When I first started losing my hair B Calm Mar 2015 #54
Hmmm. skypilot Mar 2015 #62
Don't know if this will help TuxedoKat Mar 2015 #57
Thank you very much for this info. skypilot Mar 2015 #63
You're very welcome TuxedoKat Mar 2015 #66
Toenail fungus? You should try colorless iodine. bettyellen Mar 2015 #67
Hmmm TuxedoKat Mar 2015 #68
Our softener went out last year. My wife was miserable until I had it replaced. The B Calm Mar 2015 #65
Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2015 #69
You probably have taken this before! Charlotte Griffith Jun 2021 #70

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
3. Lots of 5 and 4 stars reviews...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:10 PM
Mar 2015

...at Amazon. A handful of one-star reviews. Filter is supposed to last for six months. Some people complaining that it doesn't last that long. Might be households with more than one occupant and lots of shower usage. That's my theory anyway.

libodem

(19,288 posts)
2. Calgon take me away
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:56 AM
Mar 2015

We have super hard water. A little calgon in the rinse cycle of the washing machine will bring back most of the suds.

Maybe a final rinse with softened water might help?

Maybe that Wen product? Maybe Rogaine? Maybe an equivalent product from a beauty supply house? I also recently encountered a video showing how to use a combo of vinegar and soda to clean hair without detergent.

Best of luck. And I agree hard water is drying.

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
4. I'm hoping...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:12 PM
Mar 2015

...that the use of this filter will reduce my reliance of hair and skin products. Hair products in particular would seem to work for me just once or twice and then stop working. I'm guessing it was the water counteracting any benefit the products initially produced.

 

ND-Dem

(4,571 posts)
5. I stayed with a friend who had a water softening system because of their very hard water.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:13 PM
Mar 2015

I showered and it didn't even feel like water, or like I was getting clean. I hated it.

What's that about? If anyone knows...

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
6. Sounds like the exact opposite...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:28 PM
Mar 2015

...of what I'm experiencing. I think water softening systems put something INTO the water to remove or break down chlorine, calcium, lime, etc. The thing I bought attaches to the shower to filter all that nasty stuff out.

 

ND-Dem

(4,571 posts)
8. yes, slick. but not like oil, and not like water. like-- i cant describe it. not like showering.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:49 PM
Mar 2015

i didn't feel clean after; I didn't feel like I'd showered at all.

libodem

(19,288 posts)
12. I've experienced similar conditions
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:07 PM
Mar 2015

With conditioned water when you are used to regular ol' hard water. In our mountains, in some places, the water looks red from all the rusty iron. Gross. It will dye your hair if you have bleached it.

I have a general house filter and a pitcher filter for drinking. I don't mind the minerals but I loath the chlorine smell.

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)
27. You just described how I felt every time I took a shower at my grandparents down in Florida
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:36 PM
Mar 2015

when we went there on vacation when I was a kid. They had a water softener system, and I never felt like I was getting clean, or that I was even getting the soap off.

Trailrider1951

(3,414 posts)
9. I live in central Texas where the aquifers are mostly limestone
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:57 PM
Mar 2015

Our water is VERY hard. One thing I use is white distilled vinegar to counteract this hardness. I add 1/2 cup to my washing machine rinse water to help soften the fabrics. I also rinse my hair with a dilute solution of vinegar, and it leaves my hair soft. It also helps remove the hard water calcium stains around the sink and toilet. At less than $2 per gallon, white vinegar is cheap enough to use for most cleaning and rinsing projects. Hope this helps!

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
13. I've read about the vinegar solution.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:12 PM
Mar 2015

I don't think it's for me though since I have dreadlocks and they can soak up whatever I put in them. I'd have to rinse forever to make sure I got rid of any vinegar smell and I don't want to have to use that much water--even "soft" water.

Hekate

(90,755 posts)
34. How does the white vinegar affect colors and black/navy blue?
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 06:07 PM
Mar 2015

Some of my dark blue cotton slacks and black slacks gray out very badly after only one or two washes. I use Woolite's liquid for darks, and it still happens. It's more than annoying.

KT2000

(20,585 posts)
51. good question -
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:45 PM
Mar 2015

Saw an article that recommended white vinegar for black clothes so I tried it. One shirt came out different shades of black on each piece - front, back, sleeves. Other than that one shirt the others looked the same.
I started washing all darks inside out but I hang things on the line and the sun will fade things.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
56. I started using white vinegar in my wash about 6 months ago
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 08:52 AM
Mar 2015

I was itching something terrible and tried everything I could think of to fix that then I read something about using vinegar as a water softener instead of commercial products. I have some dark colored shirts, tee shirts and underwear that so far have not shown any signs of getting lighter. I know that not using the water softener in the washer and no dryer sheets in the dryer and I don't itch anymore. Plus the washer smells better as a plus too. You know how a washing machine can have a smell to it, well all I've ever had has anyway but not now with the use of vinegar in the water. My wife still uses all that commercial stuff in her wash though Plus when I do the towels I use the vinegar and the other day my wife said these towels are really soft. I just smiled cause I knew it would be a lost cause to try to explain what the difference was, for peaceful purposes and all that

 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
10. How hard is the water in Bowling Green, Ky.?
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:59 PM
Mar 2015


Come to think of it, limestone water is what makes Kentucky whiskey so good.
 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
19. Believe it or not, The Hair is not a rug, but a combover.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:58 PM
Mar 2015

Supposedly The Donald was an early adopter of hair-plug technology, before they had all the kinks worked out. What you see on a breezy day is the result.

Oilwellian

(12,647 posts)
41. I dated a guy that got caught in the wind
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:55 PM
Mar 2015

I didn't know he was wearing a hair piece until we went outside one windy night. LOL

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
21. In all my years...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:12 PM
Mar 2015

...I never made a connection either. It was when I was reading some of the positive the reviews for the filter that I bought that I noticed quite a few people saying it made a difference for them. I'm not talking about hereditary hair loss. I'm talking about a gradual damaging and thinning of hair that is being caused by some environmental factor--in this case, hard water.

2naSalit

(86,691 posts)
11. For a lot of the
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:03 PM
Mar 2015

problems many have with hair loss and other situations, diet should also be a consideration... dandruff seems to be a condition that is often a result of bad stuff - like preservatives - in one's diet. The skin sloughs off the scalp because shedding skin is one way for the body to shed toxins... in any and all ways possible. Perhaps this is a partial cause for hair loss as well..?

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
14. I'm sure lifestyle and eating habits...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:15 PM
Mar 2015

...do their bit but it certainly can't hurt to remove chlorine, lime and calcium from the water we're bathing in everyday.

jillan

(39,451 posts)
20. We have this problem in Arizona. Whenever I go on vacation I am amazed how soft & moisturized my
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:01 PM
Mar 2015

hair and skin are compared to when I shower at home.

There is something to this.

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
24. I haven't had to use any moisturizer...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:25 PM
Mar 2015

...on my skin since I bought this filter. I don't usually pay that much attention to customer reviews but the ones on Amazon are overwhelmingly favorable and the people there described exactly what I'm experiencing.

DavidDvorkin

(19,480 posts)
22. I'm glad it worked for you, but don't count on soft water to reverse hair loss
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:12 PM
Mar 2015

Here's my anecdotal evidence.

We've lived in the same house since the fall of 1971. We bought a very good water softener for the house shortly after we moved in and have since replaced it with a more modern one. Our water has therefore been very soft for almost 44 years. During that time, I went from a full head of hair to being bald.

I'm 71 now, but the hair loss began with a bald spot decades ago, after we had the water softener. The hair loss progressed in the standard male-pattern-baldness way.

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
23. I'm not expecting that exactly.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:19 PM
Mar 2015

When I speak of hair loss I'm not talking about the hereditary and unavoidable kind. I'm talking about hair loss that occurs because of stresses on the hair. In my case, I'm convinced that hard water was a stressor on my hair. Like I said in the OP, my hair would usually look like crap after a wash or just a quick rinse. My scalp was also itchy all the time, even after I'd washed my hair. So far, I'm not having those problems.

On edit: Also, the thing I bought isn't a water softening system that you install for a house. It is just a filter that attaches to the shower.

Hekate

(90,755 posts)
25. Interesting. I have a feeling it wouldn't last long here, at 231 grains for our water
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:29 PM
Mar 2015

Grains of what, I'm not sure, but it appears to be a standard measurement of the hardness of water.

I got a new steam iron that came with directions to never use distilled water, but tap water. I've always used distilled water, and our local water is very hard, so I called the customer service line at Rowenta to ask why. Seems they think ordinary tap water is only up to 12 grains.

So I called our local Water District to ask what is our water like. It's almost 20 times what Rowenta thinks a person should put in their iron -- 231 grains.

It was worse during the last long drought, as new wells were being dug and more minerals came up. The water smelled so bad it made the coffee taste bad. That's when I finally got a jug with Britta filter to keep on my countertop.

Okay: skin and hair. Yes, really hard water can do a number on both. So can very dry air -- that may be one problem for the Arizona poster, and it's also worse in winter when indoor heaters dry out the house. Even though I live on the coast where the air is mild, I still use a lot of products for skin and hair, increasingly as I age.

Heredity, stress, age, and diet all play a part. Just do what you can for yourself on everything -- but heredity and age are the things you really can't change.

I'm glad you found this product. I will go look it up now, though I'm really hoping to get a household water softener one fine day.

Warpy

(111,305 posts)
28. My water is as hard as the rocks they drilled through to get to it.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:36 PM
Mar 2015

Soap scum from hard water can make your hair look dull and lifeless. What I do is rinse off with white vinegar to cut the scum. It also works with darks in the laundry. It's cheaper than a Culligan setup.

Another thing that helps is not washing it every day. I wash it about every third day.

However, it doesn't tend to make your hair fall out. Mine came out in handfulls when I turned 50 but stabilized a couple of years later. It's nearly as thick as it was when I was 20.

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
30. My hair isn't falling out.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 03:06 PM
Mar 2015

My dreads were just looking skinnier and skinnier and some of them would thin out at the mid-point and keep thinning until I'd have to cut the dread at that thin, weak point and then regrow it. The hair is still growing out of my HEAD but the dreads just seemed to be "dying". They also felt dry and brittle ALL THE TIME. This filter does seem to be making a difference in the short time I've used it.

on edit: A poster upthread mentioned the vinegar treatment. Think I'll have to pass on that because I'm afraid I wouldn't get all of the vinegar smell out.

Warpy

(111,305 posts)
31. The smell goes away when it dries.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 03:14 PM
Mar 2015

I run a little vinegar through my hair, distributing it with my fingers, then rinse.

I live in the desert, so it takes my very short hair no time at all to dry. I can see where the persistent faint odor could linger for a few hours in dreads at sea level, though.

mcar

(42,356 posts)
37. I'm going to check that out
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:10 PM
Mar 2015

Our water is hard too. I've been losing hair for several years (apologies but it's harder for a woman). I thought thyroid disease and menopause were the culprits but maybe the water contributes.

Thanks !

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
40. I really hope that...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:42 PM
Mar 2015

...your hair loss is not due to anything serious. You have been to the doctor, right? I, of course, don't know your medical history or anything else about you but as I said earlier in this thread, it can't hurt to filter out the chlorine, calcium and lime that is in a lot of water. I hope it helps you if you decide to try it. The reviews on Amazon are very positive, with a lot of people saying they've been using these shower filters for years now. I wish I'd known years ago that they existed.

mcar

(42,356 posts)
42. Oh yes I have
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:59 PM
Mar 2015

But thank you for caring skypilot . Thyroid disease has all kinds of odd symptoms. Unfortunately the treatment can also cause hair loss. Add in being a woman of a certain age ...

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
44. I live in an apartment...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:09 PM
Mar 2015

...so those water softener thingies aren't an option for me but this shower head filter does the trick. I wish they made one that I can attach to my bathroom sink.

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)
48. Bookmarking for when I get paid.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:26 PM
Mar 2015

Since moving where I live now, my skin peels every single time I shower. My hair has always looked wiry but felt soft, until I moved where I am now. Now, it really is wiry and I'm losing too much of it. I shed far too much now compared to before. I hope to try one of those filters you mentioned when I get paid next.

chillfactor

(7,578 posts)
52. I live in the mountains and have washed my hair and taken...
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:45 PM
Mar 2015

showers and baths in hard water for years and have never experienced what you have....different body chemistry I assume

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
61. different body chemistry
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:16 AM
Mar 2015

That's probably it. It's obviously not something that affects everyone. There are plenty people walking around whose hair and skin look just fine and I'm sure they deal with the same hard water as everyone else.

 

B Calm

(28,762 posts)
54. I've had soft water since 1978 and now I'm bald. When I first started losing my hair
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 07:54 AM
Mar 2015

the old guy who lived down the road back then told me I should use Ivory soap for shampoo. Maybe I should had listened to him??

skypilot

(8,854 posts)
62. Hmmm.
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:23 AM
Mar 2015

I once knew a woman who was a nurse who said that Ivory soap was one of the worst things you could use. And she meant just on your skin. Can't remember the reason she gave. Just remember an Ivory soap commercial was on TV and she balked at it's claim that the soap any good for you.

TuxedoKat

(3,818 posts)
57. Don't know if this will help
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:02 AM
Mar 2015

but I recently bought my husband some powdered MSM for joint pain (supposed to be better than glucosamine and chondroitin) but in the comments at amazon people were saying it was helping their hair and nails grow in thicker and stronger. Biotin (one of the B vitamins) is supposed to be good for that as well. Do your research on MSM though as it may have blood-thinning properties.

TuxedoKat

(3,818 posts)
66. You're very welcome
Sun Mar 15, 2015, 11:51 AM
Mar 2015

hope it is useful to you. There may be other supplements, etc., out there that are beneficial as well. I had never heard about Biotin being beneficial (and I read a lot of health related articles, studies, etc.) -- my teenage daughter told me and I pooh-poohed the idea at first, but her hairdresser confirmed it so I researched it on the internet and verified it. The info on MSM (sulfur) I just discovered by accident too. Just now I was googling info on toenails and discovered that Vicks is good for toenail fungus!

 

B Calm

(28,762 posts)
65. Our softener went out last year. My wife was miserable until I had it replaced. The
Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:32 AM
Mar 2015

hard water stains in the tub and in our clothing was awful. Soap was not lathering up, etc. We ended up leasing a new softener through hicks gas company and couldn't be happier! The new softener uses a lot less salt!

Response to skypilot (Original post)

70. You probably have taken this before!
Sun Jun 20, 2021, 04:09 AM
Jun 2021

You might have taken hair loss medications before, but since losing 100 hair strands per day is completely natural and everyone's hair is definitely going to thinner as they age, that might a good idea if you take hair loss medications along with other solutions.
Hair loss could have resulted from too many items in which hard water is only one little cause...

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Hard water and hair loss.