|
what is hard water
Water hardness is determined by the level of calcium that
is in the water either found naturally from the ground or put into the water by
the treatment plant (helps control chlorine levels).
While calcium is the element that determines hardness of
water, there are many other elements in the water that effect the texture,
volume, shine, control and health of hair.
Over 85% of the population in the U.S. (Water Quality Association numbers), are bathing with
and drinking hard water.
While hard water is fine for drinking, it can cause many problems for your hair, scalp and skin including hard water hair.
The water you use to wash your hair, scalp, and skin comes
from one of two sources:
- Ground Water (Well Water)
- Surface Water
- Blended Water (ground water + surface water)
|
Hard Water Hair
Hard water problems include:
Hard Water Hair Damage:
- Hair feels dry
- Hair is resistant to color or perming
- Dandruff or eczema of the scalp
- Dry, flaky skin
- Thinning hair
- Colors fading too quickly
- Perms appearing to fall out
- Discoloration or darkening of hair
- Hair lacks body and shine
- Bleached & Color Treated hair becomes heavy, takes longer to dry, and lays
flat on your head
Order
Hard Water Hair Products |
Hair & skin have the same building blocks it follows that
hard water may also cause undesirable changes to your skin |
hard water skin care
hard water and dry skin
hard water very dry skin
|
| Ground Water |
Surface Water |
Blended Water |
| If your water comes from the ground, it is either from your
own well or from the local treatment plant that derives the water from wells
pumping water from the ground. The source of ground water is from rain passing
through aquifers, which are layers of minerals. The acidity (pH below 7) of the
rain increases the dissolving effect of minerals. These dissolved solids are
found in the water when pumped above the ground and used to bathe. |
If your water comes from the treatment plant which derives
the water from a surface source, the water is coming from either a river or a
lake. Surface water usually contains less minerals because the water has not
filtered down through the mineral layers. However, increasing populations are
polluting the water causing additional bacteria growth. As a result, the
treatment plants must add more chlorine to kill bacteria and then add lime (a
calcium compound) to help control the chlorine levels |
If your water comes from a blended system you have the the
best and the worst of both the Ground Water (Well Water) and
the Surface Water
Order
Hard Water Hair Products
|
HOW YOUR WATER AFFECTS YOUR HAIR
Hard Water Hair Damage
What are the minerals that effect hair?
- Calcium
- Iron
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Silica
- Lead
What other elements effect hair?
- Chlorine -a harsh oxidizer added to the water to kill bacteria also
adversely effects hair.
How do minerals and chlorine attach to the hair?
Our hair, scalp and skin have an electrical charge and that
charge is negative. Minerals and oxidizers are charged positive. When a
positively charged mineral comes in contact with our hair, scalp, or skin, it
attaches on like a magnet.
How do hard water minerals and chlorine effect hair?
Calcium - If your source for water is a well, then
more than likely you have calcium in your water. If your source for water is
coming from a treatment plant, calcium may have been added to your water.
Calcium is the mineral that determines hardness of water.
How calcium effects hair:
- Calcium leaves the hair feeling dry and weighted down. It can even cause a
perm to appear relaxed.
- Calcium builds up on the scalp causing flaking of the scalp, giving the
appearance of dandruff.
- Calcium can choke the hair at the mouth of the follicle causing the hair
to break off, then coating the scalp, blocking further new hair growth.
Iron - Iron is found in ground water from domestic
wells and wells used by treatment plants as the source for local water.
How iron effects hair:
- Iron leaves the hair feeling dry, brittle and weighted down.
- Iron can cause dark hair to tint darker and blonde hair to turn orange.
- Iron can block perms and color from properly processing.
Copper - Copper originates in water in three ways:
- It comes from the ground and is pumped into the water from a well.
- Particles of copper can come from copper piping. The corrosion caused by
hard water lifts the copper particles off the pipes and deposits them into the
water.
- Copper sulfates are added to swimming pools to control the growth of
algae. Copper is often added to lakes (that are a source of drinking water) in
the summer to kill algae.
How copper effects hair:
- Copper discolors hair causing blonde hair to turn green and dark hair to
tint darker.
- Copper can weigh hair down and cause dryness.
- Copper can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.
Magnesium - Usually found wherever calcium comes
naturally from the ground, magnesium is abundant in the soil and is very much a
part of the mineral complex associated with hard water.
How magnesium effects hair:
- Magnesium causes hair to feel dry.
- Magnesium causes hair to appear weighted down.
- Magnesium can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.
- Magnesium causes hair to lack shine.
Silica - Silica is a sand-like substance found in
desert or volcanic areas. It is usually bound to calcium or magnesium and forms
very hard, virtually insoluble deposits.
How silica effects hair:
Silica causes many of the same effects on the hair as
calcium.
- Silica causes hair to feel dry.
- Silica weighs hair down.
- Silica can cause dandruff-like symptoms of flaking.
- Build up of silica can choke the hair follicle causing hair to fall out.
Lead - Lead acetate is used in certain home remedy
gray hair cover-ups.
How lead effects hair:
- Lead can cause the hair to feel dry.
- Lead can prevent the proper processing of perms, color, and chemical relaxers.
Chlorine - unlike the other elements listed above,
chlorine is not a mineral but an oxidizer. Chlorine is put into drinking water
and swimming pools to kill bacteria. In addition to the following effects
chlorine has on hair, due to it's oxidizing effects, chlorine also oxidizes
minerals onto the hair causing worse effects of those minerals.
How chlorine effects hair:
- Active chlorine in the hair can cause hair to feel gummy when wet and
straw-like when dry.
- Chlorine can damage the cuticle and proteins of the hair.
- As an oxidizer, chlorine can cause the air and sun to oxidize hair and
worsen the conditions listed above.
- Chlorine can cause hair to feel dry.
- Chlorine can cause hair to become brittle.
- Chlorine can cause hair to lack shine.
What to do about hard water.
solution choices:
- treat ALL the water (water softener) or
- treat your hair and the water that's
goes on you hair ... by
Order
Making Water Well
(works to solve hard water problems and well water problems too)
Order
Hard Water Hair Products
click here for --->>
what is hard water Email
what is hard water
top of page
Copyright©1997-2008
Hard-Water-Well-Water.com
All Rights Reserved.
|
DISCLAIMER: The manufacturers
and distributors of the products being displayed are the owners of their
registered trademarks, trade names and copyrights. Hard-Water-Well-Water.com is not
related to, nor affiliated with, any of the owners,
manufacturers or wholesale distributors, of the products and
brand names displayed or offered for sale. |