Heat styling tools, brushing, chemical coloring, the elements, under-washing, over-washing and skipping the six-to-eight-week threshold for trims are the myriad ways consumers damage their hair every day.

But Fresha is pouring on another overlooked culprit: hard water. The booking platform says as high as 85% of the US has hard water. Major cities like Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Antonio and Tampa are notorious for having the hardest water in the country, says the platform.

Fresha says hard water carries four egregious impacts on hair that could be adding to follicular damage and making hair unhealthy and lackluster. The first offender being high mineral content. Hard water contains calcium and magnesium, which can contribute to brittleness overtime. Moreover, hard water can prevent hair fibers from absorbing moisture from water and haircare products. It can also deplete moisture, disrupting the scalp microbiome. This contributes to dryness, dandruff and irritation. Consequently, hair can become frizzier, causing a head full of tangles and knots post-shower. Attempting to brush them out can lead to further damage.

Shower Filters a Healthy Investment for Hair Integrity

Annabelle Taurua, beauty expert at Fresha, says investing in a shower filter helps combat the hairy issues tied to showering with hard water.

“A shower filter can be an effective way to reduce mineral buildup on your hair,” she said. “Soft water has more natural benefits than hard water, leaving fewer minerals behind on your hair and allowing the strands to absorb more moisture and helping soften them, leaving them shinier, lighter and with less buildup.”

However, hair type, she added, should dictate the kind of water used.

“It’s important to know what type of water you’re washing your hair with, as this will have a greater impact on your haircare routine than most people realize,” said Taurua. “For those with oily hair, it may appear limp and weighed down when rinsing with soft water, as soft water can make it harder to rinse products out. So, it’s important to thoroughly wash out your shampoo and conditioner.”

Pre-wash treatments are also beneficial for hair integrity.

“While shower filters can deliver great results, you should also use pre-wash treatments to add moisture to your strands and scalp, and introduce clarifying shampoos designed to remove the mineral deposits left by hard water,” she said. “If you notice telltale signs such as dry hair, a dry scalp, dullness, thinning, frizziness, or tangles, or color-treated hair that doesn’t stay bright for very long, exploring a shower filter could be a good option to try.”