Is RO Water Good for Hair Wash? What Are the Benefits?
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Last Updated: Jun 26, 2023
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Ever taken a shower and noticed more of your hair falling out than usual? It could be due to your water.
Municipal water often contains chemicals and also minerals that make the water hard. In fact, up to 85% of homes in the USA have hard water! This can be detrimental to your hair and cause hair fall.
So, should you use RO water instead? Let’s see.
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Key Takeaways
- Yes, reverse osmosis water can be beneficial for washing your hair. It can contribute to gloss and shine while preventing dandruff, hair breakage, and hair loss.
Is RO Water Good for Hair Wash?
Is RO water good for hair wash? Yes, RO water is good for hair wash.
First and foremost, RO water is considered soft water, with a total dissolved solids (TDS) content typically ranging from 10 to 50 ppm. Low TDS water, such as RO water, is actually beneficial for washing hair because it lacks harmful chemicals that may cause dryness (e.g., chlorine) or minerals like calcium and magnesium. When mixed with soap or shampoo during washing, these minerals can adhere to our hair and scalp, potentially causing damage and clogged pores.
What Is the Difference Between Reverse Osmosis (Soft) Water and Hard Water?
Reverse osmosis can remove minerals from water, effectively making it softer. Hard water is characterized by high concentrations of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, making it challenging to create soap lather and causing buildup on surfaces over time, like in kettles and pipes.
Water treated using reverse osmosis technology removes impurities and dissolved solids, resulting in highly pure water with low mineral content. Generally, reverse osmosis is not primarily designed for softening water. In fact, extremely hard water can be detrimental to reverse osmosis systems, as mineral buildup can eventually clog the membrane; however, due to the removal of minerals from the water, it softens by default.
How Hard Water Affects Our Hair
Hard water, which contains a higher concentration of minerals, is generally safe for consumption, cooking, and cleaning. However, it can have adverse effects on your hair and skin in several ways:
- Calcium and magnesium in hard water bind to the water in the hair, potentially causing dullness and discoloration. Washing your hair with hard water may result in frizziness and a film-like texture, leading to unmanageable tangles, breakage, and hair thinning.
- Hard water has an alkaline nature, with a high pH, that can create negative charges on hair, resulting in friction and breakage. Over time, continuous use of hard water can make hair brittle and coarse, making it prone to breaking easily.
- Minerals in hard water can also clog scalp pores, leading to bacterial and fungal growth and dandruff. Hair washed with hard water may lose its volume and appear thinner.
The Benefits of Washing Hair with RO Water
Soft water, or water that contains lower levels of calcium, carbonates, and other minerals is advantageous for hair health. It hydrates the scalp and leaves hair feeling softer and looking shinier. RO water helps maintain the natural oils in the hair, contributing to its softness and shine.
Using soft water also allows the shampoo to lather more effectively, meaning you don’t need to apply as much shampoo to your scalp, and the water itself is gentle on hair that has had any kind of treatment.
Removes Chemicals and Minerals
RO water lacks the mineral salts and chemicals often found in residential water. Since these elements can often cause harm to your hair, using RO water can help minimize hair damage and prevent it from occurring in the future.
Helps to Lather Soaps and Shampoos
The calcium in hard water reacts with soap, creating scum. Furthermore, shampoos struggle to produce lather when used with hard water. Using RO water eliminates calcium, thereby helping to increase the amount of lather from your bathroom products.
Makes Hair Shiny and Glossy
Utilizing water devoid of chemicals, minerals, and other impurities on your hair can contribute to its shiny and glossy appearance. An extra tip: Keep the water at a cool temperature to constrict the cuticle layer of your hair, promoting smoothness and shine after your hair wash.
Reduces Frizz
Using pure water for showers and baths can lead to more manageable, frizz-free hair that is less likely to tangle. Consequently, there will be no need to rely on expensive smoothing products after a shower to tame the frizz.
Helps to Retain Hair Color
Research indicates that hair discoloration may be due to chlorine’s harmful effects and metallic copper’s presence in public water sources. Metallic copper often gets released from underground pipes under acidic conditions. Copper can cause light hair to develop a greenish tint and dark hair to appear even darker.
When water undergoes reverse osmosis, it is purified from chlorine and any remaining traces of metallic copper. As a result, RO water not only helps prevent hair discoloration but also aids in maintaining hair color.
May Prevent Hair Loss
Reverse osmosis water may prevent hair loss by eliminating various chemicals and contaminants that lead to clogged follicles and buildup on the scalp. This buildup can lead to premature breaking of the hair strand, causing hair loss.
Helps Eliminate Dandruff
Municipal water may contain calcium and magnesium salts that can clog your hair follicles. This prevents your hair from receiving necessary nutrients, causing it to become dry, coarse, thin, and prone to breakage, but it may also cause itching and flaking on the scalp, contributing to dandruff.
Keeps Hair Moisturized
RO effectively eliminates heavy metals like chlorine, aluminum, and mercury from water. These metals are well-known for depriving our hair and skin of moisture and breaking down collagen.
Furthermore, calcium and magnesium salts can create a barrier on your hair, hindering moisture absorption. This results in dry hair that is susceptible to breakage.
Other Ways to Protect Your Hair from Hard Water
Washing your hair with reverse osmosis water may not be a viable thing for you to do, particularly if you have a countertop or a smaller RO model. If that is the case, there are other ways you can soften your water for your hair wash.
Home Water Softener
A water softener eliminates minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which contribute to water hardness through the ion exchange process. This system is installed at the water entry point to your home and is most often used with water with a considerable level of hardness to protect the plumbing. Although highly effective, the installation can be costly, making it impractical for many households.
Rainwater
Rainwater is a natural soft water source and is excellent for hair health. However, consistently collecting rainwater can be pretty inconvenient. If your home is already equipped with a rainwater harvesting system, using the collected rainwater for washing your hair would be ideal. This approach benefits your hair and contributes to sustainable water usage practices.
Bottled Water
Another option for washing your hair is using bottled water. However, this method may not be the most cost-effective or environmentally friendly choice, even if it does give good results.
Further Reading:
Does Drinking Reverse Osmosis Water Cause Hair Loss?
There is no reason why drinking reverse osmosis water could cause hair loss. Sure, RO water has had the minerals removed, and you do need minerals for healthy hair growth, but you only get about 5% of your mineral intake from your water anyway. The rest comes from food. If you have a balanced diet, you have nothing to worry about.
If it is a concern of yours, though, you can usually install a remineralization filter to your RO system to put those minerals back in before you drink the water.
If you have any questions about washing hair with RO water please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
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