The reason why desalinated water damages your hair
Hair in Desert Climates
Hair Fall – A hot topic in Arabian Gulf countries
In desert climates hair loss is a common complaint effecting both men and women from all nationalities and age groups. Doctors and hairdressers are used to complaints about falling hair. Women panic when they see vast amounts of hair on the shower floor and want to know the cause.
One of the major reasons for hair loss in both men and women is due to the harmful effects of desalinated water.
Calcium in desalinated water Calcium leaves hair feeling dry and weighted down |
Calcium can build up on the scalp causing flaking of the scalp, giving the appearance of dandruff | Calcium can damage the hair cuticle causing the hair to break off | Calcium coats the scalp, blocking new hair growth |
Chlorine in desalinated water
Chlorine is found in tap water and in the swimming pools. It is a harsh oxidiser added to the water to kill bacteria and it adversely affects hair. Any build up at the mouth of the follicle may cause the hair to break off, followed by coating of the scalp and blocking further new hair growth. Active chlorine in the hair can cause hair to feel gummy when wet and straw-like when dry.
How the damage is caused
A healthy strand of hair looks like this, with smooth cuticles |
Hair damaged by the harsh climate looks like this, with open cuticles
|
Minerals from desalinated water stick to the hair inside the open cuticles |
The mineral crystals grow, causing the protective cuticles to break off |
This exposes and damages the inner cortex, causing hair to break off |