Can Hard Water Cause Hair Loss?
Can Hard Water Lead To Hair Loss?
If you’ve noticed excessive hair shedding or thinning and haven’t made any changes to your current hair routine, you might want to take a closer look at your water. Specifically, hard water. The water we use to wash is often overlooked but it can cause issues with both your hair and scalp health. This can lead to breakage, build-up and even hair loss over time. While not everyone experiences the same issues, hard water can contribute to hair thinning, breakage, and build-up, especially for individuals with sensitive scalp or hair types.
Let’s break down what exactly is hard water, how it can impact your hair, and what you can do to protect your scalp and hair—featuring hair care products from Nioxin’s hair thinning and scalp care range.
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water is water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium which are picked up as water flows through rock formations.1 You may have noticed evidence of hard water on appliances that come into contact with water regularly. For example, after you’ve washed dishes, you may have noticed white or chalky marks when they’ve dried or, if your kettle or coffee maker regularly has a build-up of limescale, this is also due to hard water.
You can find out if you have hard water by using a home testing kit or, look up the water quality in your area online.
Although hard water isn’t harmful to your body1, its long-term exposure can be problematic for hair and skin. The minerals can build up on your scalp and hair, making it harder for moisture and nutrients to penetrate.
How Does Hard Water Affect the Hair?
Hard water doesn’t directly cause hair loss in the medical sense, but it can weaken hair over time, contributing to increased shedding and breakage. One study compared the changes in the strength of hair that was treated with hard water or with deionized water. Researchers found that hard water decreases the strength of hair which leads to breakage.2
Hard water can have several side effects on hair:
1. Mineral Build-up
Due to the high mineral content in hard water, it leaves a stubborn film on your scalp and hair. This build-up not only clogs your hair follicles but can also stop your Hair care products from doing their job effectively. If your hair never feels fully clean after washing, regardless of how often you wash it, this could be due to hard water. Mineral build-up on your hair and scalp can also cause itchy scalps, dandruff, and even increased hair loss.3
2. Dryness & Hair Breakage
The minerals in hard water create a barrier on the hair shaft which reduces your hair’s ability to retain moisture regardless of your hair type. This can leave your strands feeling straw-like, and difficult to manage. When your hair isn’t fully hydrated, it becomes more susceptible to frizz, breakage, and split ends. Dry hair can lead to weak hair shafts and a decline in hair health, shine, and strength.3
3. Reduced Product Performance
Shampoos and conditioners are less effective in hard water. These products, as well as other soaps that you may use on your skin, react with the calcium in hard water, leaving behind residue called “soap scum” that weighs hair down.3
Over time, this cycle can weaken the hair shaft, dull your strands, and irritate your scalp—creating conditions that may lead to progressive hair thinning.4
Signs That Hard Water Is Affecting Your Hair
If you suspect that hard water may be behind the hair concerns you’re experiencing, here are the symptoms to check for5:
Hair feels rough, dry, or straw-like – You may notice that your hair knots or tangles more frequently and easily.
Unusual or increased hair fall during brushing or washing, even with conditioning treatments.
Hard water can cause your hair to have a dull color and lack of shine due to it lacking proper moisture.
You may experience an itchy, tight, or flaky scalp due to mineral residue and product build-up from hard water.
If you’re finding it difficult to lather shampoo when washing your hair, you may need to use more shampoo than usual to get your hair clean.
Your hair may feel heavy or coated after washing due to the residue left from washing with hard water.
How to Protect Your Hair from Hard Water Damage
Exposure to hard water can leave your hair feeling dry and more prone to breakage due to the build-up of minerals like calcium and magnesium. The good news is, with the right care, you can reclaim your hair’s natural smooth texture and shine. Here are a few of our suggestions:
1. Use a Clarifying Treatment Weekly
Over time, the minerals in hard water can build up on your scalp and strands causing your hair to feel heavy and limp. A clarifying shampoo is great to use from time to time to remove this buildup in your hair and on your scalp, giving it a noticeable volume boost and clarity. While clarifying shampoos are effective at removing mineral build-up, they should only be used once a week to avoid stripping essential oils from your scalp and hair.4
2. Switch to a Shower Filter
One of the most effective measures to avoid hard water hair fall is to install a shower head filter. These filters reduce mineral content in your water while also being affordable, easy to fit, and can make a difference in both your hair and skin quality.4 By reducing your exposure to the minerals found in hard water, you’ll help prevent hair from dryness and breakage.
Washing your hair with lukewarm or cold water closes the hair cuticles and prevents build-up. Hot water opens follicles leading to more minerals sticking to strands, causing heaviness and film-like feeling to your hair.
3. Deep Condition Weekly
Hydration is key to repairing hard water damage. In order to replenish lost moisture while also repairing dry and brittle hair, use a rich, nourishing conditioner or leave-in conditioner once or twice a week. Look for products containing essential oils like peppermint and amino acids for hair strength for best results against dry hair.
The Nioxin Scalp Recovery Conditioner not only provides hair with essential moisture to soothe the scalp, it also relieves itchiness and redness caused by dandruff and buildup from hard water.
4. Embrace Scalp Treatments
Not only can hard water cause hair dryness, but it can also cause scalp issues like clogged follicles and a disrupted scalp balance. Using a targeted scalp treatment can help detoxify, rebalance and reduce the effects of damaged hair.
To unclog pores and remove dead skin cells and other build-up on the scalp, Nioxin’s Scalp Purifying Exfoliator is the ideal treatment to effectively remove impurities on the scalp, leaving it clean and refreshed.
5. Try a Vinegar Rinse
For shiny, healthy hair, try an occasional apple cider vinegar rinse. This is a budget-friendly, natural treatment that helps to restore your scalp's pH balance and remove mineral build-up. Simply mix one part apple cider vinegar with two parts cold water then pour it over your hair after shampooing. Let this sit for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly for your strands to strengthen.4
Nioxin System Kits for Hard Water Damage
A healthy scalp helps support healthy hair. Nioxin System Kits are formulated to cleanse the scalp, strengthen the hair follicles and reduce breakage. Each of our System Kits includes a shampoo, conditioner and leave-on treatment that targets light to progressed thinning for all hair types.
Simply choose the System Kit that best suits your needs to help reduce hair breakage while also promoting fuller-looking hair.
Hard Water and Color-Treated Hair
If you color your hair, washing it with hard water can be very damaging. Hard water fades hair color faster and can also lead to uneven tones, brassiness, or even greenish hues in blondes. To combat this, try out our color-safe systems in your hair care routine.
Nioxin’s System Kit 3 and System Kit 4 are perfect for not only keeping your hair color safe but to also treat hair suffering from light to progressed thinning. These formulas help to protect the vibrancy of your color while also supporting hair strength and scalp health that may have been affected by environmental factors such as hard water.
What Sets Nioxin Apart?
At Nioxin, we believe that a healthy scalp is the foundation for thicker, fuller-looking hair. Our systems are inspired by skincare, delivering advanced scalp care solutions supported by science. Whether you're facing hard water hair thinning or just want to optimize your hair health, we have a solution for you.
Hard water can impact the health and appearance of your hair over time, especially if left unaddressed. With the right combination of professional-grade products and a good hair routine—you can protect your hair, soothe your scalp, and keep thinning to a minimum.
Explore the Nioxin full product range to find the right solution for your hair’s need and take the first step toward stronger, healthier-looking hair.
References:
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/hardness-water
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30034190/
https://www.mcanhealth.com/blog/does-hard-water-cause-hair-loss/
https://www.hshairclinic.co.uk/news/can-hard-water-cause-hair-loss