Split Ends? Your Shower May Be to Blame

by Ramona Emerson

Is hard water hurting your hair? Yes, says a new study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science. When researchers from Procter & Gamble looked at 300 people in nine countries, they found that washing hair with water that contains traces of copper can lead to a case of the meh's.

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Even if there's only a small amount of copper in your water--from pipes or even a water heater--it can cause damage, because it builds up in the follicle over time. "The copper comes in from the tap water, and the hair acts like a sponge," lead investigator Jennifer Marsh told the Telegraph. Once inside the hair shaft, the copper acts as a catalyst, speeding up the formation of reactive molecules that weaken the hair and making it less able to stand up to regular wear and tear like blow-drying and even brushing. This effect is especially pronounced in color-treated hair, the study found.

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Here's the hopeful part: The research also uncovered a potential fix (and definite marketing angle) in the form of chelants, a type of chemical often found in laundry detergent. Treating copper-damaged hair with chelants reversed some of the dulling, weakening effects of the copper. Just guessing that we will soon see a line of copper-damage-reversing hair-care products from (Procter & Gamble-owned) Pantene.

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