How Hard Water Affects Your Skin And Hair

Posted on: 25 May 2021

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One reason to consider a water softener system for your home is that hard water affects your skin and hair. Hard water, overall, can cause issues like plumbing problems and calcification. But, it also affects your appearance. If you have certain skin and hair problems, they may worsen because of your hard water. Here is more information about hard water and how it can affect how you look.

Hard Water Contains Many Minerals

Hard water contains many dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals often build up residue on everything they touch. They aren't a health hazard, but they do cause problems in other ways. Hard water levels vary between municipalities, so you may first notice a problem when you move to a new place.

Hard Water Reduces Soap Lather

Hard water minerals interact with soap fats and reduce their effectiveness. Soap will not lather up or wash off as easily as it would with softer water. As a result, you will have a layer of soap left over after washing. You may feel less clean after you wash or bathe in hard water.

Hard Water Can Cause Itchy Skin

Soap residue can irritate and dry out your skin, causing it to feel itchy. You may feel like you need to moisturize your skin more often. Soap residue also clogs your pores and can contribute to acne. It can also aggravate other skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. You will have more flare-ups and need more frequent treatments.

Hard Water Affects Your Hair

Some people notice that their hair color fades or dulls faster than it should with hard water. It also affects perms, and you may notice your curls also have a short lifespan. In addition, hard water may reduce the effectiveness of your shampoo, so your hair won't feel clean. In some cases, the residue makes your hair feel heavier.

Hard Water Affects Dandruff

Because hard water minerals affect both your hair and your skin, your dandruff may get worse. The minerals affect your scalp much in the same way as the rest of your skin. You will feel itchier and drier with increased dandruff flakes. If you have a problem with scalp inflammation, then hard water could cause additional flare-ups.

While the severity of problems varies between households, most people will notice hard water effects on their skin and hair at some point. If you have hard water in your home, consider installing a water softening system to reduce issues.