Is dry hair putting a damper on your style or causing your hair to break throughout the day? If you’re at the point where you feel like you’ve tried everything, there’s a good chance that the root of your problem does not lie in the hair products you use. In fact, most people experience this very problem without ever realizing why.
First things first, nobody likes dry, lifeless hair. And as you most likely already know, it can seem impossible to add life back your badly damaged dry hair with a slew of products. Perhaps you have the mighty difficult type of hair to tame that is an oily scalp with dry ends.
The good news is that all hair types can and will benefit from making this one easy home upgrade. Additionally, you’ll even find that this upgrade helps to make your skin softer and less dry. In the end, it’s a win-win since you’ll eliminate hair dryness while reducing the money you have to dish out on expensive haircare and skincare products.
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First Things First
Are you currently showering in municipal water? If the answer is yes, have you ever noticed the smell of chlorine while showering? If the answer is yes again, then you undoubtedly need to address the excessive chlorine in your shower water.
It’s no secret that swimming in a chlorinated pool can damage hair by drying it out. And the same rule applies to showering in chlorinated water.
Plus, municipal water treatment facilities sometimes uses additional disinfectants including chloramine which is even harder to remove than chlorine.
The Next Steps
The first thing to do is figure out whether your tap water gets treated with chlorine or chloramines. A good way to know is to call your water provider and ask them directly. They’ll know for sure.
If they give you the runaround, simply tell them that you’re installing a new water treatment system and need to know what to target in your water to avoid wasting money.
After identifying what’s in your water, then it’s time to test your water hardness. Chances are, if you’re on municipal water, your water shouldn’t be too hard, however, this really depends on where you live.
If you have hard water, you’ll want to target the chemicals and excessive minerals in your water to prevent drying out your hair or leaving it with a lifeless look after showering.
The Easiest Solution
Once you’ve completed the preceding steps, it’s time to choose the right shower filter. The most common type of filter to solve the problem is a good chlorine shower filter listed here. This type of filter specifically targets chlorine using a special filtration media.
Unlike common water filters, a shower filter is designed to quickly remove contaminants since the water passes through the filter at a faster flow rate. Also, be sure to check test reports for each filter provided by each shower filter brand.
All trustworthy brands will provide lab test results that show show actual results. In the results, you’ll see which contaminants the filter removes and at what rate.
For reference, the top brands on the market remove up to 95% of chlorine, and at this rate, you’ll notice complete elimination of any chlorine smell while showering. Plus, your locks will thank you once you begin bathing in non-chlorinated water.
What about other chemicals?
The next thing to consider is that chlorine shower filters do not always remove chloramine, and this is especially important to consider to avoid wasting money on the wrong filter.
Similar to the process of choosing a chlorine shower filter, make sure to do your due diligence to find a chloramine shower filter that shows lab test results. This way, you know for sure how much chloramine the filter removes before making your final decision.
As for hard water, it’s important to note that a shower filter is not specifically designed to remove excess minerals. You may notice a small drop in water hardness, and this is something to consider to decide whether you need additional water treatment.
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What about hard water?
If you still notice dry hair after installing a shower filter, test your water hardness. If your water is very hard, the excess minerals can have a similar effect on your hair as chlorine.
To solve this problem, you’ll want to consider installing a water softener in your home or reducing the minerals in your water with the help of water filtration, such as reverse osmosis.
The downside is that adding a water softener and/or water treatment system costs a lot more than a shower filter. However, on the bright side, you’ll greatly benefit from installing a water softener or reverse osmosis system.
Once you soften your water, you’ll notice that your shampoo lathers much better and is a lot easier to rinse out. Plus, you’ll eliminate hard water stains around your plumbing fixtures and streaking on washed dishes.
All in all, your goal is to first eliminate residual chemicals in your water and then test your water hardness if you’re still having problems with dry hair.
Last Tips
The main takeaway is that chlorine, chloramine and/or hard water could be what’s causing your hair to dry out and break. Instead of wasting money on expensive haircare products to treat the problem, it’s wiser to start by eliminating the root of the problem.
Once you get to the root of the problem, you may find that your hair is back to being luscious without the need to use hair products. Or, better yet, you’ll find that your hair products last longer since you use less to get the same results.
In the end, the cost savings you experience will help to pay for the shower filter and replacement filter costs throughout the year. Not to mention the positive effect that showering in filtered water will have on your skin. Overall, it’s hard to go wrong by adding a shower filter to your home, just be sure the brand you choose provides lab test results by a reputable lab.
