Is Hard Water Ruining Your Hair and Skin?

If you’ve been living with hard water in your home for any length of time, you’re probably noticing its adverse effects on your hair and skin. Atlantic Coast Water Clinic of South Florida would like to cover some of the problems hard water causes and you can stop them.

What is “hard” water?

Hard water is the term that describes water with a high content of minerals like calcium and magnesium. The water usually comes from a municipal provider and isn’t treated for these compounds before it arrives at your home.

What, exactly, is the problem?

The problem is in the way the minerals in hard water react with soap, particularly body soap and shampoo.

Hard water doesn’t cut through soap nearly as effectively as “soft” water. This causes soap and shampoo residuals to remain on your body and in your hair, even after a thorough rinsing.

Hard water symptoms

Below are some of the symptoms that are common with regular hard water use. However, they can also be related to other hair, skin and body conditions, so if there’s any doubt, check with your doctor.

On the skin:

• Itchy, dry, flaking skin
• Clogged pores
• Irritation and redness
• Acne problems

On the hair

• Dry, brittle hair that breaks
• Lack of luster
• Discoloration (particularly with color-treated hair)
• Tangles

Symptoms around the house

Your hair and skin aren’t the only things that hard water affects. Because of its high mineral content, hard water will naturally build up in pipes, reducing the efficiency of water delivery and possibly damaging the plumbing.

Another symptom is the growth of soap scum on sinks, faucets, tubs, shower walls and other surfaces that water regularly contacts.

Many people experience problems when cleaning with hard water. Soap doesn’t suds up very much, and it usually takes a lot more scrubbing to clean whatever you’re cleaning.

Hard water can be hard on clothes in the washing machine. Soap doesn’t wash out as well as with soft water, resulting in clothes that are stiff and sometimes discolored.

One final note: if you bathe your dog and you notice that he or she is scratching, chewing or constantly licking, hard water skin irritation might be the cause. Check with your vet.

Consider a water softener

The solution to all the above hard water issues is a water softener. A quality softening system will remove the hard water minerals from incoming water before it reaches your sinks and showers.

Having a water softener installed in your home isn’t complicated, and it can return some wonderful benefits:

• Use less soap for bathing
• Protect your skin’s natural oils
• Prevent clogged pores
• Easy rinsing after bathing
• Nicer looking laundry
• Prevent ugly soap scum
• Prolong the life of your water pipes

If you’re fed up with hard water, Atlantic Coast Water Clinic can help. We’ll start with a water test and show you exactly what’s going on with your water. Then we’ll tell you about the different styles of water softeners so you can choose the best one for your home and lifestyle. We’ll then install it correctly.

We serve all of South Florida, including Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce and Hobe Sound. Contact a water expert today at (772) 283-4767, or get in touch through our handy contact form.