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Hello! I recently returned from a trip to Chicago, Illinois. I stayed in a hotel in Hyde Park, and, of course, had to use their shower to clean my hair. According to my girlfriend (a longtime Illinois resident), the water up there is hard, and therefore not that great for one's hair.
Every time I washed my hair, it got stickier and stickier, to the point where it would no longer dry either properly or completely. At one point, my hair felt like damp straw, even though it had not been tied back for days. It was constantly frizzy; nothing could control the flyaways. However, when I returned home (where the water is somewhat soft--much softer than Illinois' water) and washed my hair, it came out soft and shiny, drying quickly.
How do you longhairs live with hard water? Can you buy filters or water softeners for your showerheads? If so, then how much do they cost, and how often do you need to change them?
As for my other question: Has anyone seen Robert, the gentlemanly Latin teacher? I've been trying to find out how to contact him, and can't!
We live in the California Central Valley and have hard water, but fortunately we bought a water softener not long after we moved over here, and it's great. Not sure how many it cost to install or maintain, though. My parents handled all of that. But it's definitely worth getting one if you need it. Not just for your hair, but it really helps out with other stuff too, from washing the dishes to washing the car. We got our's through Hague, which is a pretty good service. The service guy who visits every six months for a check-up is very friendly and helpful with questions.
I have a water softener in my house and I recomend them. I'm not sure on the latest prices but I think they can be had for as little as $800. Hard water is mot only bad for your hair but your Clothes washer, Dishwasher (If you have one)) Faucets/taps etc. I'm thrilled with mine.
Kevin
Yeah, they're great. Only problem is sometimes the regeneration process is a hassle if you've got a ton of laundry and have to wait, or if you find out it's too low and needs to regen just before you go to get in the shower.
the problems of Hard water was one of the things I learned since I gave up washing my hair. I now avoid water almost completely - just taking advantage of the benefits of sweat, occasional rain, and (believe it or not) urine - I think I should start a seperate thread to explain.
It hasn't been so straightforward, a bit of trial and error, but so far, so good: nine months on and my hair has never felt better (:
I believe Robert had a disagreement about the method used to determine who was still an active user and who would thus remain in the directory of users. I haven't seen him post since and that was several months ago. I miss his input and presence.
<<<: Hello! I recently returned from a trip to Chicago, Illinois. I stayed in a hotel in Hyde Park, and, of course, had to use their shower to clean my hair. According to my girlfriend (a longtime Illinois resident), the water up there is hard, and therefore not that great for one's hair.>>>
It's my understanding that the water in Hyde Park (as well as the rest of Chicago and the close-in suburbs) is on Lake Michigan water and is very soft. In fact, I know of a suburb that around 10 years ago went from well water to Lake water and people tossed their water softeners.
<<<: Every time I washed my hair, it got stickier and stickier, to the point where it would no longer dry either properly or completely. At one point, my hair felt like damp straw, even though it had not been tied back for days. It was constantly frizzy; nothing could control the flyaways. >>>
My hunch is that there was something else causing your problem other than the water--did you follow the exact same procedure you follow at home? The cause of frizzy hair is often humidity. Chicago air in spring and summer can be very humid.
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I've just been travelling and have had to deal with hard water. Hard water results in a faster buildup of residue from shampoos and conditioners. (Some residue is desireable such as that left by silicone but when there is too much, hair tends to tangle and appear dull and limp.) This is because it does not wash out surfactants and conditioner as well. You have to use a clarifying shampoo more often because of this--perhaps twice as often as you would with soft water. Once you get used to soft water, you will find hard water stinks. The only way to deal with hard water at home as far as I know, is to get a water softener installed.
by the way, it could also have been that there were additives in the water--a lot of chlorine for example.
I also highly recommend a water softener. Mine uses rock salt, which has to be added every couple of months, but can be purchased cheaply at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. There are several manufacturers, but I've used Lindsay in two different homes, and like them alot. Depending on the size, can cost from ~1-2 thousand USD.
Hard water, for me, also makes my skin itch terribly for about a half hour after a shower.
i live in phoenix, a land known for very hard water. i used to live in a house with a softener, and that was AWESOME!! now, i find that rotating my shampoos helps to keep it nice. i have four different ones that i use, and i just make my rounds through them. that way, the one i'm using will wash off the residues left from the last shampoo, so there isn't much build-up. during the rainy seasons when there is more humidity and my hair tends to get frizzy, i use my horsehair brush more. those are great for smoothing down the hair. :)
I don't remember the exact details, but as far as I can remember Robert didn't 'leave' on 'bad terms'. He will be back on here at some point.
But don't quote me on that!