Have you ever gotten out of the shower in a bathroom other than your own and felt different? Perhaps you chalked it up to the soap or just the simple fact you weren’t in the comfort of your own home. But that feeling you had was likely the result of calcium and magnesium in your water. Yup, you heard us correctly—minerals in the water. There aren’t many things we can blame on our water supply, but dry skin and unkempt hair are likely to blame on the water, hard water, to be exact.
Thankfully, the professionals at Ohio Valley Pure Water know how to tackle hard water and the not-so-pleasant condition in which it can leave your hair. In this blog, we’ll discuss what’s in your water that is drying out your skin and hair.
What’s In My Water?
As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution, which makes water hard. Then your local water supplier adds chlorine, chloramines, ammonia, and other chemicals that will dry out your skin and hair.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates drinking water quality in public water systems and sets limits for germs and minerals in water, but that doesn’t mean unsafe levels can’t sneak in. Now this isn’t cause for concern— your drinking water isn’t full of overly harmful minerals that will cause health issues. But it’s important to remain informed about what is in your water and how to prevent future issues.
Hard Water Minerals
Hard water is a water supply that is high in mineral content—calcium and magnesium. While these minerals are not harmful to ingest, they can cause a variety of troubles within your home and on your body. Hard water ranks between 7 and 10.5 GPG on the Water Quality Association’s hardness scale. As a result, your hair and skin can quickly become damaged from the minerals within the water—skin becomes dry, and hair becomes brittle and flaky.
Hair Care Matters
Holding out until hair-wash day can be one of the biggest challenges you face all week, especially if you’ve been extra active. As relaxing and cleansing as a shower should be, as we’ve mentioned before, the water that flows through the faucet might not always be your friend. If you’ve experienced an overwhelming loss in haircare products—purchasing more bottles of shampoo and conditioner than ever before—you might be suffering from hard water hair damage.
Signs of Hard Water Hair Damage
The minerals that can be found in hard water have a tendency to leave a residue on your hair, preventing you from receiving a deep clean and condition. Simply put, if your home has hard water, you’ll likely be washing your hair every other day, if not every day, to avoid mineral buildup (which can cause even more damage to your hair).
A few signs that you may be experiencing hard water hair damage include:
- Breakage
- Dullness
- Thinning
- Tangled hair
- Faded color
- Dirty feeling scalp
Invest in Your Skin
If you’ve ever taken a bath or shower and noticed that your skin feels dry after you’ve lathered up with soap, you’re not alone. This happens because hard water has the same effect on your skin as it does on your hair. When you bathe, the soap reacts with the minerals in the water, creating a film over your skin. As if this wasn’t bad enough, long-term hard water usage can result in clogged pores and a lack of natural oil production.
Signs of Hard Water Skin Damage
If you’ve been treating dry skin and acne with no avail, it may be time to take a closer look at your water quality. With lengthy skincare routines, monthly visits to the dermatologist, and countless products purchased, we don’t realize that our water could be the sole reason we’re struggling to maintain acne-free skin.
Signs you may be experiencing hard water skin damage include:
- Dry itchy skin
- Clogged pores
- Irritated skin
- Worsened skin conditions
Protect Yourself From Hard Water
Though spending money on expensive shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and creams could solve the problem in the short term, it’s not a lasting solution. You may be able to protect your hair and skin with an abundance of products, but protecting the rest of your home is another story. Hard water, unfortunately, doesn’t just go away with time—it runs through every pipe in your home, causing damage anywhere water is used. In order to eliminate chemical-ridden H2O, installing a water softener can drastically reduce the effects of hard water on your skin and hair (not to mention the rest of your home).
Water Softener Installations
You may want to invest in a water softener to reduce the risk of dry, frizzy hair and cracked, painful skin. A water softener is used to remove calcium and magnesium from your water—the minerals associated with hard water and the likely cause of your hair and skin troubles.
Before the water softener is installed, our expert technicians will evaluate your water supply and plumbing to ensure we’re installing the proper system for your needs. We’ll take into account the following factors:
- Water flow
- Water pressure
- Level of hard water minerals in your water
When a water softener is installed, hot water enters from the main water pipe and travels into the water softener tank. The resin of the tank attracts and removes the dissolved minerals from the water, leaving smoother, softer water to flow through your plumbing system. Look at our previous blog post to learn more about soft water.
Purchase Your Water Softener From the Experts
Ohio Valley Pure Water offers high-quality American-made whole-home water softeners at wholesale prices—50-75% less than our competitors. Our high-efficiency salt-based water softener comes in three different models to choose from and starts at $2,498, including a standard installation.
Learn more about how much water softeners cost here.
Receive the Best Price on Soft, Filtered Water
Ohio Valley Pure Water is a family-owned and operated water treatment provider in Cincinnati, OH. We’re proud to offer the highest-rated systems, from water softeners and reverse osmosis to whole-house filtration. Don’t let hard water stop you from having flawless skin and luscious hair. Instead, contact us today to discuss your water treatment needs.